Euphorbia lactea | Candelabra Spurge
€100,70
🌱 Morphology
It looks like a cactus that has learned to grow like a tree. Its green, angular, and deeply wavy stems rise and branch out, forming a structure that resembles a candelabra, while small thorns appear in lines along the ridges. Its appearance is so cactus-like that it can be deceiving at first glance, but the white latex that oozes out when damaged immediately reveals that it belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
It is a shrubby or arborescent, highly branched succulent that can reach several meters in height. The stems are erect, fleshy, and generally triangular in section, with three very prominent and wavy ribs covered by small tubercles. Pairs of short and robust thorns develop on them, accompanied by tiny, deciduous leaves. The epidermis can have grayish-green tones, and in mature specimens, the stems acquire a woodier appearance. It produces abundant, irritating white latex.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is native to Sri Lanka, where it grows in seasonally dry tropical environments. It is currently widely cultivated and naturalized in numerous tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 10a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −1 ºC only briefly, under dry conditions and with well-acclimated specimens. For cultivation in Madrid, it is recommended to protect it from frost and keep it dry when temperatures are low.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, intense lighting is recommended, approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. It tolerates direct sun after progressive acclimatization, although specimens grown in low light should be adapted gradually to avoid sunburn.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
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 intake is progressively reduced, and it is kept practically dry during the winter, especially at low temperatures. Cold combined with humidity can cause damage and rot.
🌸 Flowering
The small cyathia appear clustered mainly towards the tips of the branches. Flowering is inconspicuous compared to the plant's architecture and can be irregular in cultivation. The reproductive structures are characteristic of Euphorbia: a cyathium that brings together male and female flowers in a structure that visually resembles a single flower.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer specific to succulents is recommended, with a high content of assimilable calcium, such as Desert CHOICE® Succulents, applied once a month when watering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
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