Candle Plant (Euphorbia unispina) – Succulent plants

Candle Plant (Euphorbia unispina) is a spiny, succulent shrub with a stout, sparsely-branched stem that can be up to 3 or 4 meters tall. It looks rather like a cactus. The branches can be up to 1 inch thick, usually with a few leaves at their tips. The whole plant is a silvery grey, it is covered with shallow tubercles and horny spine shields up to 1 cm in diameter with a single spine. It flowers at the end of the dry season before new leaves are formed. The flowers are yellow-green to maroon, 5-lobed, up to 5 mm in diameter, with a shortly funnel-shaped involucre. Each cyathium containing 1 female flower surrounded by many male flowers. Although poisonous, the latex from the plant is harvested from the wild and used in local medicine. The latex contains various substances that have the potential for use in conventional medicine. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Scientific Classification:

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Euphorbioideae
Tribe: Euphorbieae
Subtribe: Euphorbiinae
Genus: Euphorbia

Scientific Name: Euphorbia unispina
Common Names: Candle Plant

How to grow and maintain Candle Plant (Euphorbia unispina):

Light:
It prefers full to partial sunlight. Provides good sunlight at least 3-5 hours of the day, and turn it regularly so that your plant doesn’t begin to grow lopsided.

Soil:
It grows well in well-draining, gritty soil or cactus potting mix. They are not particular about soil pH, but they cannot tolerate wet soil.

Water:
You can allow the soil to dry out between each watering. Before watering the plant check underneath the pot through the drainage holes to see if the roots are dry. If so then add some water. Do not water too often to prevent overwatering, that can potentially kill it off.

Temperature:
It prefers an optimal temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit – 85 degrees Fahrenheit / 16 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize every two weeks with a diluted balanced liquid fertilizer during its growing season in the spring and summer. Avoid fertilizing your plant during the fall and winter months.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by cuttings. Take cutting in spring, which needs to be dried out for a couple of weeks in shade before potting. This can be tricky, because of the exuding sap. Rooting hormone is recommended with Euphorbias. Also can be propagated from seed, but they can be difficult to germinate.

Pests and Diseases:
Euphorbia may be susceptible to mealybugs, scale insects, occasionally spider mites.