Growing Crown Of Thorns In My Garden

I once had a pot of this cactus like plant with deep red flowers or bracts but it rotted away due to the rainy season. Much later, I received some stem cuttings from my church member when I visited her home. 

The common names of this plant are Crown of Thorns, Christ Plant or Christ Thorn. The scientific name is Euphorbia milii.

Crown of Thorns is a woody and thorny succulent shrub.

Crown of Thorns is easy to grow and maintain.

  Crown of Thorns can tolerate full sun and high temperature.

  It does not need regular watering because it can tolerate dryness.

  If it is over watered or the soil is water logged, the plant will rot and die.

The leaves are pale green.

The leaves are found on the young parts of stems.

The leaves will drop off from the older part of stems.

 I have 2 pots of Crown of Thorns.

One plant has deep pink flowers or bracts.

Another plant has pale pink or yellowish flowers.

The plants flower throughout the year.

Less flowers may be due to too much water or too much fertilizer.

If over fertilized, there will be more leaves and less flowers.

 This plants love direct sunlight. The more sun, the more flowers.

My plants are only exposed to the morning sun and looks like they have more leaves than flowers. If the plants are placed in shaded area or in cool temperature places, the plants will also slow down their growth. 

 Propagation is through stem cuttings.

Let the sap of the newly cut stems be totally dried up.

Then plant the stem cuttings in slightly damp soil.

The white sap or latex is poisonous, will cause irritation to skin or eyes.

If swallowed, will cause severe stomach pain, throat and mouth irritation and vomiting.

Its main pest problems are the mealy bug, scale and white fly.

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the perilous pestilence.

(Psalm 91:3, NKJV)