Euphorbia neurobella | Red Monadenium.
€21,20
🌱 Morphology
A small creature from another planet that decided to build its own water reserve underground. From a thick, rounded tuber, delicate green stems emerge, twisting and sprawling around the plant, while purple-tinged leaves look like tiny flags placed at their ends. When it blooms, pink or reddish structures appear among the foliage like little orchids on a miniature plant.
It is a perennial, caudiciform succulent with a thick underground storage organ formed by rounded tubers approximately 1.5–3 cm in diameter. From each tuber, one to three fleshy, generally sparingly branched stems emerge, which can grow upright to about 5 cm or spread in a decumbent manner up to about 25 cm, and even more in cultivation. The stems are thin, about 4–5 mm in diameter, and feature longitudinal ribs and green and purple bands. The leaves are lanceolate, sessile, up to 4.5 × 1 cm, green but frequently tinged with purple.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
A species of the Euphorbiaceae family, endemic to south-central Kenya. It is known from the Mbuinzau Hill area, in the former Machakos district, at about 1,520 m altitude, where it grows among rocks associated with xerophytic vegetation. The species was known for decades mainly from cultivated specimens and had not been collected in the wild since 1960, until its rediscovery was published in 2025.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 10a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −1 ºC only in perfectly dry, acclimatized specimens and during very brief episodes. For cultivation, much greater caution is recommended: horticultural references advise protecting it below approximately 10 ºC, especially when the substrate retains moisture.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, an illumination of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR is recommended. It tolerates high light and can receive direct sun after progressive acclimatization. Good lighting also promotes the intensity of the reddish and purple hues of the leaves and floral structures.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. 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 supply should be significantly reduced, keeping the substrate almost dry. The large tuber acts as a storage organ and allows it to withstand dry periods, while excess moisture can cause rot.
🌸 Flowering
It produces small axillary cyathia, generally solitary, accompanied by deep pink to reddish structures that can reach about 15 mm in length. The peduncles can measure up to 1.7 cm and the structures surrounding the cyathium feature a characteristic pink coloration. In cultivation, it can flower mainly during spring and summer, although it is capable of producing flowers outside this period when conditions are favorable.
🌿 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 high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
9x9 cm gourmet black pot
- Shipped today? Order within:
- Hassle-free returns
- Free Shipping on orders over €79.99
Expert advice with every purchase
Our team provides you with personalized advice on caring for your plants and growing media.
-
Secure and protected payment guaranteed.
