Euphorbia milii Des Moul.
Vernacular name: Crown of thorns, Christ plant, Christ thorn
Species Name: Euphorbia milii Des Moul.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Habit: Evergreen succulent shrub
Stem: Succulent, 5-7 angled, greyish-brown, branched, up to 2-3 ft tall; armed with paired sharp black spines 1-3 cm long along ridges.
Leaf: Leathery, obovate, bright green, 2-4 cm long, produced only on new growth; deciduous from older stems; petiolate.
Flowering: Nearly year-round in tropics, late winter to fall indoors.
Flowers: Small, inconspicuous yellow true flowers in clusters; subtended by pairs of showy petal-like bracts (red, pink, yellow or white, up to 12 mm broad, long-lasting).
Fruit: Small 3-lobed capsule, explosively dehiscent; greyish seeds
Uses
- Popular ornamental houseplant or garden shrub for bright bracts.
- Used in hedges for a thorny barrier.
- Plant attracts pollinators.
- Sap irritant to skin and eyes.
- Plant has salt and drought tolerance properties.
- Latex has bioactive properties and is used to alleviate ear and tooth aches
- Plant extracts are used to treat warts and minor skin infections.
- Plant is used in some regional medicines to manage digestive issues, bronchial congestion and asthma.
- Plant is toxic to snails, so can be used in agriculture to kill parasites having snail as host.
- Plant can be used in pest control.
