Euphorbia trichadenia (4 seeds)

Euphorbia trichadenia (price per 4 seeds)

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

It is a plant with a large cork-like barked rootstock (succulent caudex) 12 cm long and 6-20 cm in diameter, producing annual thin herbaceous or woody prostrate or erect stems to 12 cm high, branching from the base. The leaves are narrow and acute, while the flowers, borne either singly in the forks of the branches or in terminal cymes of three to five, are pale yellowish in colour.

Sowing instructions: The sowing medium should be light and poorer in nutrients than normal commercial plant compost. A mineral soil can also be used, such as fine to medium grade sand to which can be added a little finely sifted peat. The soil should be thoroughly wetted by standing the containers in water. Sow the seeds evenly and not too thickly on the surface of the soil, press lightly and cover with a very thin layer of soil or sand no more than twice the thickness of the seeds. The temperature at night should not go below 18 °C, although by day it can rise as high as 40 °C. 25 °C is ideal. Basically higher temperatures bring faster germination, but full sun should be avoided to prevent the young seedlings scorching.

Locality: Pretoria. Harvest: May 2024