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Resin spurge

Euphorbia resinifera

Also called African Spurge

Resin spurge
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0

Resin spurge is a spiny, cactus-like succulent shrub from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, grown for its architectural form. The key to growing it is strong light, very sharp drainage and minimal watering.

Family
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Grows as
Succulent
Light
Full sun
Water
Water deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry out fully between waterings, and water less in winter.
Soil
Very fast-draining cactus or succulent mix with added grit.
Temperature
10–35 °C; protect below 5 °C
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: The milky latex is extremely irritating to skin and eyes and can cause severe pain if it gets into the eyes; the latex contains resiniferatoxin, a very potent irritant.
Native range
Morocco
Climate
subtropical

About

Euphorbia resinifera, the resin spurge, is a species of spurge native to Morocco, where it occurs on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains. The dried latex of the plant was used in ancient medicine. It contains resiniferatoxin, an extremely potent capsaicin analog tested as an analgesic since 1997.

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 resinifera 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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