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Euphorbia resinifera (Moroccan Mound) - A mounding succulent to 1 to 2 feet tall by 4 to 6 feet wide with upright pale blue-green leafless 4-sided column-like stems that have shot but sharp brown spines on the margins and near the rounded stem tip in late winter to early spring tip are borne the flowering structures, which on Euphorbia are called cyathia. These cyathia are composed of a ring of 5 glands around the outside and tiny flowers in the middle and on this species are a vivid yellow color.
Plant in a draining soil - even clay if on a slope in full sun or with afternoon shade in desert gardens. Irrigate occasionally to only a little in coastal gardens, a bit more inland spring through summer. It is cold hardy to 20°F. This easy-to-grow, hardy and attractive succulent plant has stems that are so crowded together tightly that it form a solid mass.
Euphorbia resinifera is native to Morocco, where it occurs on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains. The name Euphorbia was noted by Pliny the Elder as being a reference to Euphorbus, the physician of King Juba II of Numidia. The specific epithet means "resin-bearing" in reference to the toxic sap exuded when stems are cut or damaged. Other common names include African Spurge, Officinal Spurge and Resin Spurge, owing to this plant being one of the oldest documented medicinal plants with the extracted latex, called Euphorbium, being used for many purposes. This latex contains resiniferatoxin, an extremely potent capsaicin analog. Capsaicin is the primary compound found in hot peppers, which explains why this resiniferatoxin latex causes a painful burning sensation to the skin. Contact with this latex should be avoided with gloves and eye protection used when handling it. Medical testing has been conducted using this compound as a analgesics for pain management.
This plant has been grown in California gardens for many years with older clumps forming masses that cover many square feet. Evidence of its long cultivation here is its listing in Cacti and Other Succulents: An Annotated List of Plants Cultivated in Santa Barbara that was edited by Pearl Chase and published in 1930. We grew this attractive succulent from 2010 until we closed the nursery in 2025.
The information displayed on this page about Euphorbia resinifera is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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