Euphorbia canariensis | Canary Island spurge
€159,00
🌱 Morphology
It looks like a giant candelabra born from a volcanic rock. From the base, numerous thick and perfectly vertical green arms rise, multiplying to form true plant architecture. Its ribs draw geometric lines along the stems, and along them, small pairs of curved thorns seem to protect a plant that, by its appearance, could be mistaken for an enormous cactus. It is one of the great botanical symbols of the Canarian landscape.
It is a succulent, cactus-like, and highly branched shrub that can reach approximately 2–4 m in height and occupy a considerable surface area. The stems are erect, fleshy, columnar, and generally quadrangular or pentagonal in section, although they may have 6 faces; they are glaucous green to yellowish-green and turn grayish in older parts. The ridges are lined with pairs of dark, straight or curved thorns, while the leaves are practically reduced. The roots are thick and superficial, adapted to quickly capture scarce rainfall. It produces abundant white latex, which is highly irritating and toxic.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is an endemic species of the Canary Islands, present in El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura. It lives mainly in low, warm zones, from sea level to approximately 900–1100 m, on rocky slopes, lava fields, and stony ground, forming part of the characteristic tabaibal-cardonal shrublands. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −4 ºC in dry conditions, with well-acclimatized specimens and during brief episodes. There are observations of tolerance to lower temperatures, but these should not be interpreted as guaranteed resistance for every specimen.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, intense lighting is recommended, approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. It is a species adapted to open, sunny environments and tolerates full sun after progressive acclimatization.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy. During the active period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In autumn, water supply is progressively reduced, and it should be kept very dry during winter, especially when temperatures are low. Excess humidity is one of the main risks for this species.
🌸 Flowering
The small cyathia appear clustered in the upper areas of the stems, between the ridges. They feature reddish to greenish-red tones and subsequently give rise to three-lobed, reddish-brown capsules that stand out against the green stems. In the Canary Islands, flowering can occur mainly between autumn and winter, although the timing varies depending on the island and environmental conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a specific fertilizer for succulents with high assimilable calcium content, such as Desert CHOICE® Succulents, is recommended, applied once a month when watering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:
S -> 9cm x 9cm
M-> 14cm x 14 cm
L->16cm x 16 cm
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The plant measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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