Meet the Crown of Thorns
Crown of Thorns | Euphorbia milii
How do you know it’s me?:
I have thick, woody gray stems with ridges of long thorns that often spiral around the stem.
My leaves are obovate shaped (wider at the tips), but tend to be very irregular.
My leaves also spiral around the stem. They will drop off as the plant grows, creating bare stems and a scraggly appearance on older plants.
My blooms typically have 2 simple, rounded bracts (petal-like), sometimes overlapping, and flower in clusters at the stem tips
How big do I grow?: 5’ - 6’ tall and 1’ - 3’ wide in my country of origin, typically up to 3’ tall in the United States (or smaller when kept as a houseplant).
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade and low humidity or good air circulation.
Where I prefer to put my roots: I prefer well-drained, medium to dry soils.
Hardiness: Zone 9-11
Original home: I am native to Madagascar.
Colors: I am evergreen with blooms of yellow, red, white, or pink.
When I bloom: I bloom differently depending on location. Grown outdoors in southern US climates, I bloom in winter and spring. As a houseplant or in a tropical area, I tend to bloom year-round, with the most activity in spring and summer.
Wildlife friends: I don’t have any significant wildlife value in the US. Some little yard lizards do like to climb my thorns like ladders (see photo).
Flora Fun Facts: I’m cactus-like, but not actually a cactus - though I do store water in my thick, spiny stems. I can be propagated with cuttings taken from the tips of my stems, but you might want to wear gloves when performing surgeries such as this. I ooze a milky sap when severed that can cause painful irritation to the skin and eyes.
More Info: Crown of Thorns is also referred to by the names of “Christ’s Plant” or “Christ’s Thorn” because of the belief that its thorny stems form the very crown of thorns worn by Christ during the crucifixion. Events aside - thorns are certainly its distinguishing feature. This member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) is a great, quirky indoor plant that offers frequent pops of colorful blooms.
The leaves tend to drop as the plant grows, leaving a trail of long, sharp spines in their wake. It may completely defoliate when stressed, but may still leaf back out on new growth. Give it time, as the plant often lingers in a straggly state even though it is very much alive.
It is also well-suited to a drought tolerant garden in a hot-climate outdoor space. In this environment, it tends to produce a stand of spiny stalks topped with evergreen foliage and flowers.
As a houseplant, the Crown of Thorns prefers full direct sun, and can be planted in a smaller container to keep a compact shape and size. It prefers well-drained soil (such as a cactus mix combined with some organic material), which should be given time to dry between waterings.
Watering can be increased slightly during flowering periods. It is very sensitive to overwatering and over fertilization.
