John&Jacq~s Garden

Posted by Jacqueline on December 13th, 2007 in Plants database

Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns, Christ Plant/Crown)

We simply adore the Crown of Thorns! One of our top favorites that blooms all year round in our tropical garden, never ceasing to brighten each day with its striking and brilliant red clustered bracts. We have grown them since year 2002. Amazing plant, so hardy and very floriferous!

Simply love this original and stunning Christmas color combination of red and green, above all the other Euphorbia milii colors available! Hehe…I am an old-fashioned kind of gal!

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Euphorbia milii (synonym: Euphorbia splendens)
• Common Name: Crown of Thorns, Christ Plant, Christ Thorn, Christ Crown.
• Family name: Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
• Plant type: A flowering perennial succulent, native to Madagascar.
• Light: Full sun for best performance, though can tolerate partial shade.
• Moisture: Needs regular watering and moderately. Do allow top soil to dry out between waterings. It can be drought and heat tolerant once established.
• Soil: Grows best in well-drained loamy soil though can thrive in a variety of growing medium.
• Propagation: The most viable method of propagation is by stem or tip cuttings - trim the stem tips or unwanted stems into 4-5 inches length with a sharp knife, place cut ends in water to stop sap bleeding and let them dry for 3-4 days to callous, then push them into well-drained potting medium. Locate in a sun-filtered area, water moderately and they should show new growth in about a month. Other ways of propagation are from seed, grafting, air-layering, pups and leaves as mentioned in great detail at this very educative site.
• Features: Euphorbia milii is a succulent deciduous shrub with a slow to moderate growth rate. It grows to a height of 4-5 feet and spread of 2.5 feet, though dwarf hybrids are less than 1.5 feet tall. Typically, it has strong, upright and heavily branched spiny stems with 1 inch long straight thorns and obovate leaves that are medium to dark green of variable sizes. Plant may defoliate due to moisture or temperature stress, thus leaves are primarily found on new or extended growth.
  Its main attraction are the large and brightly colored bracts (modified leaves) that come in many varying shades of red, pink, white, yellow, orange or multi-colored with the actual flower in the center. Flowers called cyathia (singular: cyathium) are small and inconspicuous and surrounded by five nectar glands that are sometimes beautifully colored in contrast to the striking bracts. Bees and ants are attracted to these nectar producing flowers. The inflorescence of the Euphorbia milii are often times compared to Hydrangeas and are held well above the green foliage at terminal stems or at axillary sources.
  China and Thailand started hybridization of Euphorbia milii in 1990 and to date there are so many astounding hybrids and cultivars in a huge range of bizarre and exotic flower colors in a varied range of sizes with variable number of flowers in each cluster. Even plants come in variable heights that can be dwarf, compact, regular or large.
  The old Euphorbia hybrids typically have eight flowers in each cluster, hence the name Poysean given to Euphorbia milii by the Chinese immigrants in Thailand, referring to the eight saints of Chinese mythology, each one representing a different force: health, bravery, riches, beauty, art, intelligence, poetry and the ability to overcome evil. Thus, Poysean is extremely popular in Thai homes as a symbol of good fortune!
  On the other hand, the common names of Crown of Thorns, Christ Crown/Thorn allude to the legend that the crown of thorns worn by Christ at the time of his crucifixion was made from stems of Euphorbia milii.
• Usage: Crown of Thorns is excellent as a houseplant or indoor container plant or in a mixed planter. Very ideal too as an accent plant for patio or outdoor garden, whether as a stand-alone or in a mixed border with other drought-happy plants. It is used extensively as a landscape plant and can also be used for borders and fences to ward off undesirable visitors. It is drought and salt tolerant, thus ideal to be planted along coastal areas.
• Care: Christ Plants are such fuss free perennials and truly tough. With adequate sunlight or bright light and water, they’ll delight you with a continuous profusion of stunning blooms all year round. You may want to fertilize occasionally to promote blooms. Deadheading is not required as the colored bracts will dry and fall off itself. Pruning is hardly necessary as it grows very slowly and is quite compact in habit. It does tolerate pruning very well, so an occasional pruning is recommended to promote more branching and bushiness. No serious pests or diseases, though it can be susceptible to mealy bugs and whiteflies if grown indoors. As with most Euphorbia, when cut it exudes a milky sap that is toxic and can produce skin allergies to susceptible individuals, so wear gloves if applicable. To know further on Euphorbia milii cultivation, visit Tropica Nursery for hands-on expertise.
• For temperate zones: Hardiness: USDA 9b-11. Refer to Dave’s Garden for more information.

Enjoy more photos of Euphorbia milii hybrids grown in our garden and elsewhere:

Euphorbia milii var. splendens - with large brilliant red bracts

Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) - with deep orange-red bracts

Euphorbia milii ‘Red Dwarf’ - with tiny (1-1.5cm) brilliant red bracts

Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) - with large spotted pink bracts

Euphorbia milii ‘Salmon’ - with large salmon-colored bracts and alternate green markings, 5-6cm wide, 8-16 flowers in a cluster

Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) - with large sunny yellow bracts and orange centre

Last edited: 2008-09-01