Euphorbia echinus | Hedgehog Spurge
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
It looks like a giant hedgehog that decided to put down roots in the desert. From a highly branched base, dozens of green stems emerge, pressing against each other to form a large hemispherical cushion, completely covered in small spines. Over the years, it can become a true living sculpture, wide and compact, in which it is difficult to distinguish where one stem ends and the next begins.
It is a succulent Euphorbia that is highly branched from the base, with a low and compact habit. It can reach about 1 m in height, but spread laterally up to about 2–3 m in diameter in adult specimens. The numerous stems, which can exceed one hundred, are erect or slightly arched, about 4–5 cm in diameter, and generally have 5–8 shallow ribs. On them are cream-colored spine shields, about 4–5 mm, joined by a horny margin, from which pairs of spines that are thin, rigid, and very pointed, about 4–10 mm, emerge, potentially reaching 15 mm. It produces white latex.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
It is native to southern Morocco, Western Sahara, and northern Mauritania, with a particularly characteristic presence in southwestern Morocco and the Anti-Atlas. It inhabits dry scrubland, stony slopes, gravelly terrain, and wind-exposed areas, even near the coast. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −4 ºC for short periods if it remains dry and is well acclimated. In winter, the combination of low temperatures and moisture in the substrate should be especially avoided.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, it needs very high lighting, with an approximate goal of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. It tolerates direct sun and, once acclimated, develops its characteristic compact shape better with intense lighting.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During the active growth period, it is recommended to water abundantly and let the substrate dry out completely before watering again. During winter, watering is notably reduced, keeping the substrate practically dry during cold periods.
🌸 Flowering
The cyathia are small, about 3–4 mm in diameter, and appear in solitary cymes, generally branched once or twice. The nectar glands are dark red. After flowering, it develops small, almost spherical, trilobed capsules, approximately 4–5 mm in diameter, supported by thin, curved pedicels.
🌿 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.
📏 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 specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The plant's measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.
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