Candelabra Cactus Euphorbia lactea
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Candelabra Cactus:
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-FOR-bee-ah lak-TAY-ah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Mottled spurge is a deciduous, spiny, usually leafless, cactus-like, succulent shrub or small tree. It can grow to a height of 15 feet but is typically maintained as a 1 to 2-foot houseplant. This plant is a member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) and .is native to Sri Lanka. The plant has adapted itself to dry regions and appears in many tropical and sub-tropical areas worldwide. It has been known to escape from cultivation and form dense thickets. It grows wild in tropical Asia and is widely cultivated in the West Indies, Florida and many tropical areas worldwide. The specific epithet, lactea, means "milk' and reference the plant's milky-like sap.
Mottled spurge is best grown in well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. It cannot tolerate wet soil, but you can allow soils to dry out after each watering. Water consistently in summer to prevent soils from totally drying out and decrease watering in winter. The plant is winter hardy to zones 10 and 11 and is intolerant to frost.
The plant has spiny stems and mottled branches that are green with white lines, sometimes growing in a crested (cristate) form. Tiny leaves do appear in summer but drop quickly leaving the plant leafless. Flowering is rare; however, if flowers appear they are found at the stem tips and are yellow-tinged, paired cyathia. Other characteristics include 4-angled stems with paired black stem thorns. If injured, the plant will ooze a toxic, milky latex.
Potted plants can be overwintered indoors or grown year-round as a houseplant. In the warmer climates, it may be used as a hedge.
Disease, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known serious insect or disease problems. Aphids, mealybugs and nematodes may appear. Watch for mites.
Avoid contact with poisonous plant sap by wearing protective gloves. All parts of this plant are poisonous. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Cristata'
crested form, fan-shaped branches, grows up to 3 feet tall, purple or pink flowers - 'White Ghost'
upright, non-crested, pale greenish, sensitive to direct light
- 'Cristata'
- 'Cristata', 'White Ghost'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Cristata'
crested form, fan-shaped branches, grows up to 3 feet tall, purple or pink flowers - 'White Ghost'
upright, non-crested, pale greenish, sensitive to direct light
- 'Cristata'
- 'Cristata', 'White Ghost'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euphorbia
- Species:
- lactea
- Family:
- Euphorbiacea
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as a poison and medicine.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Sri Lanka
- Distribution:
- Introduced: Bahamas, Bangladesch, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Hawaii, India, Leeward Islands, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuelan Antilles, and Windward Islands.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer and drought resistant
- Edibility:
- Toxic if eaten
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Succulent
- Tree
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Columnar
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Mottled spurge rarely flowers, but inconspicuous flowers with a yellow tinge sometimes appear near the stem tips. When flowers do appear, they are paired cyathia.
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-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Tiny ovate leaves appear at the growing tips in summer, but drop quickly leaving plants leafless most of the time.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- White
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Four angled spiny stems with paired black thorns. Mottled branches (green with white lines). May grow in a cristate form.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Spines/Thorns
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- The milky white latex sap found in all plant parts can cause mild to severe contact dermatitis. If contact with the eyes occurs the sap can cause temporary to permanent damage to the cornea. If eaten, blistering can occur on lips and oral mucosa. Avoid ingesting plant parts and keep plants away from pets and children.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Diterpene esters in milky latex.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
