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Euphorbia milli var. splendens 'Apache Red' (Red Christ Thorn) - Brilliant, year-round red flowers are very showy on this 5- to 6-foot-tall shrubby plant with inch long spines on the upright gray stems and obovate 1 1/2-inch-long green leaves and inch long spines that drop off as the stems mature to expose their spines on the lower portions of the plant. The "flowers" produced are individually called a cyathium, which is composed of a cup made of fused bracts holding a single yellow female flower with 3 styles ans surrounded by groups of single anther male flowers having nectar glands.
Plant in full sun where it has low water needs and is hardy to about 25 degrees F. This plant is attractive and can make a formidable barrier plant because of the long spines on the stems.
This plant 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, who introduced the species into cultivation in France in 1821. The varietal name means "splendid", likely in reference to the showy "flowers". 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.
This large crown of thorns has long been in cultivation in California and large specimens can be found in old gardens.
This information about Euphorbia milli var. splendens 'Apache Red' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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