Euphorbia francosii | Euphorbia caudiciforme with multicolored leaves
€26,50
Euphorbia francoisii Leandri
🌱 Morphology
A small, slow-growing succulent euphorbia, highly prized for the combination of its small caudex and the extraordinary diversity of its leaves. The thickened base may develop partially underground and, over the years, acquire the appearance of a small caudex or tuberous root. Short, branched stems arise from it, ending in rosettes of fleshy leaves. The leaves can be lanceolate, oval, spatulate, or even lobed, and display an exceptional range of colors: green, silvery gray, white, pink, wine-red, purple, almost black, or variegated combinations. The vein pattern can also be highly contrasting and may change with the seasons.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family: Euphorbiaceae. It is endemic to southeastern Madagascar, in the vicinity of Tôlanaro (Fort-Dauphin), where it grows in sandy coastal areas and among low shrubby vegetation at very low altitudes. The type specimen preserved at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle comes from the dunes located between Mount Saint-Louis and the sea, at an altitude of less than 25 m. Taxonomically, Euphorbia francoisii is currently considered a synonym of Euphorbia decaryi var. decaryi by POWO.
❄️ Temperature
USDA zone 10a. Tolerates minimum temperatures of up to approximately −1.1 ºC in very dry conditions, although in cultivation it is recommended to avoid low temperatures combined with moisture in the substrate.
☀️ Lighting
Needs plenty of light to maintain the intensity of its colors and promote compact growth. Very bright exposure is recommended, with gentle direct or filtered sunlight and gradual acclimatization. A PAR DLI of 15–25 mol/m²/dayis suitable; excessively intense and sudden sunlight can cause leaf scorch.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Summer dormancy. It is a species adapted to a warm climate, so its growth may slow during periods of higher temperatures. During the active phase, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. During periods of extreme heat or when the plant stops growing, watering should be spaced far apart and the plant kept almost dry.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers are small and inconspicuous, clustered in cyathes among the leaves. The structures surrounding the inflorescences may take on yellowish, greenish, or pinkish hues. The flowering is of less ornamental interest than the caudex and, above all, the extraordinary coloration of the foliage. No sufficiently reliable age has been published to establish the first flowering from seed.
🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, applied moderately and always with the substrate previously moistened.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with a substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
8x8 cm pot
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