Euphorbia Species, African Milk Tree, Candelabra Cactus, African Milk Bush, High Chaparral

Euphorbiatrigona

Family
Euphorbiaceae (yoo-for-bee-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Euphorbia (yoo-FOR-bee-uh)
Species
trigona (try-GOH-nuh)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Height
6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
Spacing
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Bloom Color
White/Near White
Bloom Time
N/A
Other Details
Category
Cactus and Succulents
Water Requirements
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Foliage Color
Orange/Apricot
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From herbaceous stem cuttings
Seed Collecting
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Casa Grande, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona(2 reports)

Tucson, Arizona

Benton, Arkansas

Castro Valley, California

Clayton, California

Encino, California

Hayward, California

Long Beach, California

Los Angeles, California

Pittsburg, California

Quartz Hill, California

Reseda, California

San Diego, California

Susanville, California

Thousand Oaks, California

Vista, California(9 reports)

Penrose, Colorado

Melbourne Beach, Florida

Milton, Florida

Rockledge, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida

West Palm Beach, Florida

Forsyth, Georgia

Lake In The Hills, Illinois

Kenner, Louisiana

Pikesville, Maryland

Salem, Missouri

Verona, Missouri

Haddonfield, New Jersey

Hoboken, New Jersey

Zanesville, Ohio

Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Clarksville, Tennessee

Germantown, Tennessee

Austin, Texas

Corpus Christi, Texas

Desoto, Texas

Houston, Texas

Leander, Texas

Rowlett, Texas

Bellevue, Washington

Seattle, Washington

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

19
positives
3
neutrals
0
negative
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L
Tulsa, OK | March 2023 | positive

I love my African milk tree plant. It's pretty easy to care for. You just have to be mindful as it's toxic. Here's a link to some additio...Read More

D
W Hartford, CT | January 2017 | positive

To propagate at our university greenhouse, I use secateurs to cut a long section of E. trigona into 5 to 10 inch long sections. I don't w...Read More

L
Tampa, FL | August 2015 | positive

I am a freak for euphorbias. Even though this one is fairly common I love it. I comes in green, variegated and purple that I know of. ...Read More

M
Saint Albans, NY | May 2015 | positive

This plant is dangerous. It looks like a nice cactus but other persons might not know the danger and get poisoned like I did.

...Read More

N
Penrose, CO | February 2015 | positive

I got a 8 inch cutting a year ago and it has grown into a monter towering over 2 feet with 7 arms i have mine in a large sized pot and ju...Read More

L
Rockwall, TX | June 2014 | positive

A great plant and low maintenance as indicated on this forum. My question is when should you re-pot? I am concerned about my pot becomi...Read More

W
Haskell, AR | February 2014 | positive

This is a wonderful and hardy plant. I got two broken arms from a friend about two years ago that were 6 or so inches tall. Now they ar...Read More

M
Angier, NC | January 2014 | neutral

Euphorbia trigona ... poisonous, not in a strict sense of the word. Potentially deadly irritant ... YES.

The white sap ble...Read More

M
Torrington, CT | April 2013 | positive

two years ago my stepdaughter gave me an 8" cutting of her "cactus".. which turned out to be E.Trigona. I grow a variety of plants and di...Read More

A
A
Salem, MO | August 2012 | positive

I've had this plant about 25 years. It was about 7 inches tall when I got it. It's now about about six foot tall and has outgrown my hous...Read More

H
Las Vegas, NV | June 2012 | positive

I was told sunlight would burn this plant, it's been kept indoors with almost no sun for 6 years now and looks great, grown up from 4' to...Read More

A
Tucson, AZ | September 2011 | positive

My Euphobia trigona is about six feet tall and all of a sudden is bent over, almost touching the floor. What is the cause? under wateri...Read More

P
Lake in the Hills, IL | July 2011 | positive

I have had my Euphorbia trigona since 1981. I received it when I was in college. Over the last 6 months the plant and all its arms are t...Read More

C
C
Leander, TX | March 2011 | positive

Friends in Washington State broke off a piece of the AMT growing in their house for me to bring to Texas. The initial piece was about si...Read More

A
Susanville, CA | December 2010 | positive

this is one of my very favorite houseplants, it grows very quickly indoors, its usually under flourescent lights, or filtered morning sun...Read More

C
El Paso, TX (Zone 8a) | March 2010 | positive

This plant cannot take direct El Paso desert sun. My specimen, now about two years old, has numerous white spots along the stems as evid...Read More

B
Hayward, CA | February 2007 | positive

Euphorbia trigona is not hardy; temperatures even two or three degrees below freezing will kill it. Still, the red plant they show in a n...Read More

C
Yuma, AZ (Zone 9b) | January 2007 | positive

I have had my plant for about 15 years and just found out the name of it, thanks to Dave's Garden. My plant is really small for its age....Read More

S
Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) | November 2004 | neutral

Upright branching habit to 1.8 meters. Can be pruned. Used for fences in tropical countries. Makes a great container plant.

H
Northern California, CA | November 2003 | positive

Like all Euphorbia HANDLE WITH CARE, the latex/sap is dangerous and can cause skin rash, itching and general discomfort.

M
(Zone 11) | July 2003 | positive

It´s not a Cactus (from the Cactaceae family). However, ecologically, it occupies the same eco-systems as cacti, since there are no cact...Read More

T
Rockledge, FL (Zone 10a) | July 2003 | neutral

A cactus from tropical western Africa, commonly known as the African Milk Tree. Mine was store-bought at 6" tall; one year later, it is ...Read More

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