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Euphorbia tirucalli L.

Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassRosidaeRoses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
OrderMalpighialesA broad group encompassing 16,000 species
FamilyEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbia or spurge family
GenusEuphorbiaAn extremely diverse-looking genus of mostly tropical and subtropical succulent plants. For Euphorbus, corpulent Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania. Literally, “euphorbia” means “well-fed”
Speciestirucalli

About plant names...

Pencil tree is a native of northeastern, central and southern Africa. It is also found in China, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines. It is not native to North America, but has become naturalized in some areas.

Identification: Branches are smooth, cylindrical, green, about the diameter of a pencil. (Branches may also have orange-red tips.) Plants are up to 20' (6.1 m) high. There are no spines. Leaves are small, about ½" (1.3 cm) long and less than ⅛" (3.2 mm) wide. They fall off early, so usually the stems appear naked. Flowers are pale yellow and inconspicuous.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones The milky sap that oozes from any broken part of this plant causes dermatitis and severe pain in some. It can cause extreme pain and induce temporary blindness, lasting several days, if it comes in contact with the eyes. If you get any in your eyes, flush them with water for at least 15 minutes, then seek immediate medical attention. Deaths have been recorded from ingestion.

Online References:

The South African National Biodiversity Institute's web site, plantzafrica.com

Purdue University's Center for New Crops and Plants Products

in Flora of Zimbabwe

Floridata.com

Wikipedia

Purdue University's Center for New Crops and Plants Products

Projects.nri.org

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Mary­land
≈ 9 × 14" (23 × 35 cm)

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

7/29/2023 · MacDonald-Zachos’, Milford, Penn­syl­vania ID is uncertain

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

4/2/2018 · Aruba · By Heather A. Kent

 

Euphorbia tirucalli description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


  

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, Cali­fornia
≈ 5 × 8' (1.6 × 2.4 m)

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, Cali­fornia
≈ 5 × 3½' (1.5 × 1 m)

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

8/15/2003 · South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands · By Heather A. Kent ID is uncertain

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, Cali­fornia
≈ 5 × 3½' (1.6 × 1 m)

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Mary­land
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

7/29/2023 · MacDonald-Zachos’, Milford, Penn­syl­vania ID is uncertain

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

1/1/2011 · MacDonald-Zachos’, Milford, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 7 × 11" (18 × 27 cm) ID is uncertain

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

4/2/2018 · Aruba · By Heather A. Kent

Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, sticks on fire milk bush, Madagascar milkbush, milkbush, milk bush, finger tree, sticks of fire, Indiantree spurge, pencil tre)

10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Mary­land
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain

Range:

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