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Cactus Spurge

Euphorbia ingens

Also called Candelabra Tree, Naboom, Common Naboom, Giant Candelabra Tree, Giant Euphorbia, Giant Naboom, Naboom Euphorbia

Cactus Spurge
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0

Euphorbia ingens is a large succulent tree from dry southern and eastern Africa, with many-ribbed, candelabra-like branches. It thrives in full sun, warmth and very little water, and suits gardens and rockeries in frost-free climates.

Family
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Grows as
Tree, Succulent
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly and let the soil dry out fully between waterings; it tolerates long droughts.
Soil
Fast-draining sandy or rocky mix; it grows on rocky outcrops and in deep sand.
Temperature
18–35 °C; protect below 5 °C, as it is frost-tender.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: The milky latex is extremely poisonous and irritant; it can cause blindness if it reaches the eyes, severe skin irritation, and poisoning if swallowed.
Native range
Eritrea to S. Africa
Climate
seasonally dry tropical

About

Euphorbia ingens is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to dry areas of southern Africa. It is popularly known as the candelabra tree or naboom. Its milky latex can be extremely poisonous and is a dangerous irritant.

Where it grows

The plant occurs in Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa (in the north and east of the country), Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Eswatini.

Uses

The milky latex of the tree is extremely poisonous and can cause blindness, severe skin irritation and poisoning (when ingested) in humans and animals. However, this plant has been used medicinally as a purgative or for ulcers. Venda and Sotho people use it against cancer.

Other Euphorbia plants

Abd Al Kuri Euphorbia · Desert Candle · Greek Spiny Spurge · Euphorbia actinoclada · Miniature Saguaro · Pincushion Euphorbia · Euphorbia alcicornis · Euphorbia alfredii · Euphorbia ambarivatoensis · Euphorbia ambovombensis · African candelabra · Euphorbia ampliphylla

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Euphorbia ingens by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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