Euphorbia tirucalli
pencil cactus or aveloz
..........is a dioecious
succulent, cactus-like milky shrub eventually becoming a large tree, devoid of spines, to 10 m tall, indigenous to Eastern & Southern Africa and used as a hedge in Brazil.
The leaves are
small and slender, up to 12 x 1.5 mm, rarely seen, as they fall very early.
The bracts are yellow and the flowers tiny,
inconspicuous, and carried in clusters at the apex of the short branches or in
the angles of branches.
It has a a rangy,
open growth habit, and is more valued for its novelty than the beauty of its
foliage.
Pencil cactus can be trimmed back if they become too large, but be careful to prevent irritation from the milky sap.
It can easily grow into a
6-foot specimen planted in a large pot.
As with all
succulents, it’s better to let it dry out rather than risk over watering and
rot.
Cortijo Azahar has a small pot grown specimen from a cutting taken not much more than a year ago.
The family name
Euphorbiaceae and genus name Euphorbia were named in honour of a
Linnaean hero namely Euphorbus, first century physician to King Juba of
Mauritania. He is believed to have used plants of this genus as medicine.
The species name tirucalli
was given by Linnaeus in 1753 as this was the name used by the natives of
Malabar, a region of southern India.
The rubber-hedge
has been so widely cultivated that it is now difficult to say where it occurs
naturally and where it has been introduced.
Early traders and
sailors carried plants from South Africa to India and the Far East, and the
fact that these have all flourished, gives us some idea of the incredible
resilience of the plant.
This is a stunning variety named 'Firesticks' which we have not yet been able to locate.
It lacks the chlorophyl of it's parent. The best colour is produced in winter.
