Euphorbia balsamifera
Cultivation and propagation: It is an easy to grow plant. It grows well in a very draining mineral potting substrate, but it isn't picky about soil. Outdoors it requires a deep sandy soil. It slowly grows into a large, many stemmed specimen.
Water requirements: It can be watered moderately from autumn to spring (except in the coldest month of the winter, as it rots easily, especially if over-wet). During the summer, they lose their leaves and enter in a rest phase. In this period diminish waterings to one at a month.
Hardiness: In winter, keep it dry above 4°C. Mature healthy plants are tough and can also be grown outside in frost free areas, but when left out it is more sensitive to frost.
Exposure: They do need a lot of light to keep their compact growth-form, but different clones vary in their tolerance of full sunshine. The plants that are not kept in full sun grow faster but became untidy and may need support as they get larger, or branches will fall off. Sometimes, in really hot full sun all day long, a plant will bleach out a bit.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
| Blooming Season | Late winter/early spring |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Balsam spurge |
| Dormancy | Summer |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae |
| Flower | Pale yellow |
| Frost Tolerance | 4°c |
| Growth Rate | - |
| Hardiness Zone | 9b-11 |
| Height | 4-6 ft. |
| Origin | Canary islands |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia balsamifera |
| Shape | Columnar |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
- Reviews
- Questions
United StatesThis Will Be A Nice Bonsai (Eventually)
Very cool and rather rare euphorbia (at least in the USA). Bought two - one arrived with a straight "trunk" and one with a twisted "trunk". Intend to create bonsai from these, but it'll take years for them to develop enough for that purpose. Have been very surprised by how much these things want and like water. I water most of my more common euphorbias once a week, while these seem to want water at least twice a week, if not thrice. The indicator that they were not receiving enough water initially was that the tiny leaves started turning yellow and falling off rapidly. As soon as I began watering them more frequently, the defoliation process stopped overnight. Now I'm misting them lightly every morning before sun exposure begins and watering heavily 2-3 times a week and both are putting on new growth quite well. (Notes: They are in 4.5" terracotta pots outside in direct sunlight for 6-8 hours a day, relative daily humidity of 60-75%, elevation approx 3000ft, intermittent winds of 10-20mph, and temps ranging from 90F daytime to 60F nighttime. WNC - Appalachian Mtns.)