Euphorbia lactea f. cristata | Candelabra plant
€37,10
📍 Let yourself be surprised by the sculptural forms it adopts. It will form stunning fan-shaped crests.
🌱 Morphology
It looks as if a Euphorbia had stopped growing as a plant and decided to turn into a wave. Instead of raising straight, triangular stems, its growth transforms into an undulating crest that twists, folds, and branches out, forming a true living sculpture. Some crests resemble coral, others a brain or even a small mountain range; none develop exactly the same pattern.
It is the crested form of Euphorbia lactea, originated by fasciation, an alteration of the growth point that transforms the normal apex into a much wider line of growth. As a consequence, the species' characteristic triangular stems turn into flattened, wavy, and deeply branched structures. The surface retains the ribs, tubercles, and small spines typical of E. lactea, although they remain deformed and distributed following the growth of the crest. It can reach approximately 90 cm in height and 60 cm in width in adult specimens. Due to its slow growth and the difficulty of maintaining large crests on its own roots, it is very frequently marketed grafted onto another Euphorbia stem.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. The Euphorbia lactea species is native to Sri Lanka and grows mainly in seasonally dry tropical environments. The cristata form has no natural distribution of its own: it is a horticultural form obtained and maintained in cultivation.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 10b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to 1 ºC for short periods only when the specimen is completely dry and protected from humidity. It is a frost-sensitive plant, and especially in grafted specimens, it is advisable to avoid prolonged low temperatures.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, an illumination of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR is recommended. It tolerates high light exposure, from direct sun to bright semi-shade, always with gradual acclimatization. Green crests can receive plenty of light, but very pale or variegated forms are more sensitive to intense solar radiation.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During the active growth period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. In winter, water intake should be significantly reduced, keeping the substrate almost dry. In grafted specimens, it is especially important to avoid excess humidity and watering in low temperatures, as the rootstock can suffer from rot.
🌸 Flowering
Flowering is rare, especially in young specimens and in plants grown for the ornamental value of their crest. When it appears, it produces small cyathia in yellowish-green and pinkish shades, which are unremarkable compared to the plant's spectacular architecture. In cultivation, they may appear mainly during the spring.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a specific fertilizer for succulents with a high content of assimilable calcium, 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.
📏 Gourmet xerophyte in a 14x14 cm pot.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant 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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