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Euphorbia milii 'Fireworks' (Fireworks Crown of Thorns) - This slow growing evergreen succulent shrub grows to about 2 feet tall with upright gray spiny stems holding oblong beautifully variegated leaves that are pale green with creamy white margins that are flushed with red on the new growth, as are the new spines. Also at the tips of the branches are the pairs of flowers with bright red bracts. Flowers can be present year-round in mild climates.
Plant in full sun to light shade in a relatively well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to very little. We have not had this plant outdoors for any historical freezes but this plant has weathered short duration temperatures down to 30° F and other Euphorbia milii varieties have proven hardy to around 28° F, but likely would be happiest in frost free locations. As with others of this species it should also tolerate near-seaside conditions. A very attractive plant for a container specimen or in a rock garden setting or planted with other succulents. This plant occasionally has stems that produce all green leaves that have lost their variegation and these should be removed as they are noted.
Euphorbia milli is thought to be from central to southern Madagascar, but wild populations now apparently no longer exist. The name for the genus is derived from Euphorbus, the Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia and later of Mauritania. In 12 B.C. King Juba named a cactus-like plant he found in the Atlas Mountains after his physician and later Carl Linnaeus assigned the name Euphorbia to the entire genus. The specific epithet honors Baron Milius, a governor of the island of Bourbon (now called Réunion), who introduced the species into cultivation in France in 1821. The common name refers to a legend that this plant was used as the thorny crown worn by Jesus at his crucifixion but if likely it would have been another plant that would be used for such a crown.
The cultivar name is a bit of a mystery - Fireworks obviously describes well the multi-colored leaves with red flowers but we originally received this plant as 'BK Fireworks' and did not know what the BK stands for. One thought was a reference to Bangkok as many of the newest Euphorbia milii hybrids have come out of Thailand but a gentleman named Forrest Kuykendall wrote us to tell us that he was the one that sent this plant to Rancho Tissue Technologies and that he originally named it BK Fireworks for personal reasons which he didn't choose to share. Since most others growing this plant just listed using the shortened named 'Fireworks', we have followed suit to avoid any confusion. We have grown this attractive plant since 2011.
Information displayed on this page about Euphorbia milii 'Fireworks' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will 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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