Species · genus Euphorbia · Euphorbiaceae

Crown Of Thorns

Euphorbia milii Des Moul.

Also known as: Christ's-plant · Christ's-thorn · Christplant · Christ Plant · Christ Thorn

Growth habit

semisucculent subshrub or shrub

Native range

Madagascar

Reference · E. milii

Cultivars of E. milii

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under E. milii yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

Euphorbia milii is a semisucculent subshrub from Madagascar, with stems and leaves that store water and tolerate drought far better than wet feet. Give it the brightest spot you have, ideally several hours of direct sun, in fast-draining gritty mix. Water only when the top two inches of mix are fully dry, then water deeply; in low light or cool months, extend the interval and err on the dry side.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 10-18d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Direct sun

Water

≈ every 18 days

Humidity

Low — average room

Temperature

13–29 °C

Soil mix

Well-draining cactus or succulent mix

Propagation

Stem cuttings, callused before potting

Fertilizing

Balanced feed monthly through spring and summer

Growth rate

Slow

Flowering

Long-blooming red, pink, or yellow bracts nearly year-round in good light

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Toxic to cats & dogs & humans

Euphorbiaceae produce an irritant milky latex that can harm skin, eyes, and mucous membranes if ingested. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 10-18d) · ai:claude-fable-5 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (family inference)

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Crown Of Thorns yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.