Lancer99's Mostly Euphorbias Topic

lancer99 · Post by **lancer99** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:29 am

This thread will be pretty boring if you don't like Euphorbias, but will at least keep me from cluttering up the "General Succulents" forum

I've spent the last 4-5 days doing "Spring Cleaning" on all my Euphorbias, removing dead leaves and stems, giving them a good washing, repotting as needed, and unfortunately taking cuttings of a few (E. lupulina, E. richardsiae) that were starting to dry off. Most of them will be moved into my greenhouse in the next week or two, although I'll have to provide supplementary heating to keep temps above the low 50's.

E. royleana is one of the nicest of the Indian tree species. This cutting is about 2' tall, and despite its small pot, puts on a good 5-6" inches of growth per year:

This is a hybrid of, I think, E. mammillaris x horrida. It's about a foot tall, and has brilliant blood red nectar glands:

A couple of old standbys in flower, E. obesa:

And E. symmetrica, no arguments about the name please

:

The E. obesa is a girl and the E. symmetrica is a boy, so I've placed them next to each other....hoping for some hanky-panky

Finally, two from Jacobsen's Group 9. This is my favorite group, green sticks but with lots of leaves on top. First is E. clava:

This species is self-fertile, as you can see from the girl flower on the bottom:

Last up is E. 'Macguffin,' a hybrid that may be (E. bupleurifolia X clava) X heptagona. Whatever it is, it's a nice plant:

That's it for now!
-R

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:38 am

Beautiful stuff, Robert. I love Euphorbias, I just don't grow any. Well, I think I have three. I have always been a fan of Euphorbia symmetrica, cool to see such a great looking one.

peterb

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:48 am

I dont have any euphorbia's at all but I have grown one in particular in the past. I grew some caster beans before..

they are neat plants and I didnt know they were in the euprobia family til I looked them up not too long ago...actually I was researching caster bean oil...which we use to lubricate our Go-Karts.

so anyways I will keep an eye on this so maybe I can learn something

Thanks for sharing Robert.

Post by **daiv** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 1:37 pm

I think these are interesting too. I just don't grow them because I'll never have all the cactus I want, so no need to branch out into other plant families.

*Barracuda_52* · Post by ***Barracuda_52*** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 1:45 pm

AWSOME Euphorbias Lance, That E. mammillaris x horrida is totaly cool looking

and pretty flowers.. Im hoping to get some blooms on some of my Euphorbias soon, i get um on my E. obesa's and my small E. symmetrica from time to time but i cant seem to zoom in on them as good with my cam..

GREAT PICS!!

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:00 pm

Daiv,
I hear ya there. I think that I have enough stuff cluttered into my yard as it is! LoL you have seen all the different things I got in my yard.. no need to add anything else.. and I dont think too many euphorbias would grow in AZ outside year round would they?

king_hedes · Post by **king_hedes** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:18 am

great plants robert i think euphorbias have the weirdest flowers

lancer99 · Post by **lancer99** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:35 am

Thx all!

This is E. sp. GM 211, previously undescribed but now considered to be E. gorgonis. It's of easy culture but needs the most light you can give it. It flowered continuously for most of last year:

And has already started again:

Peterthecactusguy, there are lots of Euphorbias that are hardy in AZ....unfortunately no interesting ones!

daiv, despite your protestations, I think you already have a few non-cactus plants

Cheers,
-R

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:30 am

Robert,
thats too bad. Ah well.
Maybe I will get ones eventually

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:27 pm

Do you have any recommendations for sources for Euphorbias? I have a few very common varieties, but would like to expand my horizons...

lancer99 · Post by **lancer99** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:26 am

I posted this in the French forum for fun! http://www.cactuspro.com/forum/read.php?1,308570

Harriet, the best source for Euphorbias that I know is Aridlands. They are hardcore enthusiasts....in other words, they don't just go for the most attractive, rarest or trendiest. Plus their customer service is excellent.

My second recommendation is Out of Africa Plants. Unlike Aridlands, who mostly have stem cuttings, they concentrate on seedlings, so that way you'll end up with typical plants. And their customer service is excellent as well!

-R

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:20 pm

Great! I'll check them out.

king_hedes · Post by **king_hedes** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:48 pm

that is a nice one it looks great

lancer99 · Post by **lancer99** » Wed May 05, 2010 5:25 am

Euphorbia rowlandii is another shrubby species from RSA, not particularly interesting, especially when seen as a stem cutting:

But it does have nice spines and attractive continuous spine shields:

I only grow Scilla violacea/Ledebouria socialis because it was my grandma's favorite plant:

but the flowers are attractive if you look really really close!

Euphorbia greenwayi is one of my favorite species! From Tanzania, it's a miniature, growing to about a foot high, and has beautiful grey green mottled stems contrasting with (very) dark red spines & spine shields:

It also has some of the most unusual/attractive cyathia of the Euphorbias:

Here's a better pic from last year:

Last up is E. neohumbertii, one of the great Madagascan species. It flowers before it comes into leaf...here it is, cyathia not completely open:

Cheers,
-R

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Fri May 07, 2010 4:23 pm

The E. greenwayi has great markings/color. I like it!