Euphorbia suzannae or Suzanne's Spurge

Care of the succulent plant Euphorbia suzannae or Suzanne's Spurge

The genus Euphorbia, family Euphorbiaceae, includes 2,000 species of succulents, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants of cosmopolitan distribution. Some species are: Euphorbia stenoclada, Euphorbia meloformis, Euphorbia lomelii, Euphorbia tithymaloides, Euphorbia obesa, Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia mammillaris, Euphorbia leucocephala, Euphorbia lactea, Euphorbia ingens, Euphorbia inermis, Euphorbia horrida, Euphorbia heptagona, Euphorbia handiensis, Euphorbia grandicornis, Euphorbia flanaganii, Euphorbia enterophora, Euphorbia enopla, Euphorbia echinus, Euphorbia cotinifolia, Euphorbia coerulescens, Euphorbia characias, Euphorbia candelabrum, Euphorbia canariensis, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Euphorbia regis-jubae, Euphorbia handiensis, Euphorbia balsamifera.

Common names: Suzanne's Spurge, Suzanna's Euphorbia. This species is native to South Africa.

They are small, easy-to-grow succulent plants with napiform roots that reach 15 cm (5.9") in height; they branch wide and reach 30 cm (11.8") in diameter. They have thick, dark green, variegated or yellowish stems (depending on the variety) with 12-16 ribs and elongated, pointed tubers. They are dioecious plants that produce small yellowish flowers on separate plants. They bloom in autumn and sometimes also in spring.

They are used in pots and planters, in rockeries and in cactus and succulent gardens in frost-free regions.

Euphorbia suzannae can grow in full sun exposure but will turn purple. To keep it green, it's better to grow it in semi-shade or with filtered light. In winter the temperature should not be less than 10 ºC (50 ºF).

The soil can be a mixture, in equal parts, of leaf mulch and siliceous coarse sand or a commercial cactus substrate with 20% coarse sand. In case of transplantation, it's recommended to do it in early spring.

Water moderately in spring, summer and autumn, waiting for the substrate to dry; do not water in winter.

Fertilize in mid-summer with mineral fertilizer for cacti and succulents.

They do not need pruning.

They are plants quite resistant to pests and diseases but sensitive to excessive humidity.

They propagate by cuttings of branches or by seeds sown in spring.