Crown-of-Thorns in Winter

Euphorbia milii (Crown-of-thorns or Christ Plant) is a species of Euphorbia native to Madagascar.

It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad.




This little shrub is a popular house plant. Many varieties and hybrids are available varying in flower size and color from red to yellow. It blooms freely most of the year. It normally becomes dormant in summer… don't throw it away if it loses its leaves. As with the other Euphorbias, its sap is poisonous, it irritates the skin, and can cause temporary blindness if it goes in the eyes. Each spine contains enough sap to do real harm to those who get stuck on it.

In Brasil it is grown beside or on walls to deter unwanted visitors. So don't climb over the wall.




This group of plants is growing against the wall next door to out house in Águas da Prata.




Look closely at the abundance of thorns on the stem.




The flowers are tiny but pretty.




You can see the long row of plants leading towards our house.




Here they are leading away from our house.




Here is a garden on the next street using Crown-of-Thorns as a decorative hedge.




It looks quite pretty in this setting.




I found there is a lot of Crown-of-Thorns around town. Here is a large hedge about two city blocks long.




It gives new meaning to the phrase "Keep Out"!




This section is particularlyt lethal looking.




It looks pretty from a distance. This entire property uses it as a privacy and security fence.




Here it is as a security hedge on top of a wall. I wouldn't want to try to get in there.



So be careful and never try to touch these shrubs without adequate protection.


Photos by Urso Branco