Euphorbia viguieri v ankarafantsiensis
Origin
Madagascar
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Description
Euphorbia viguieri is a very handsome plant with an angular, bright green stem with vertical, spiralling whitish thorns and vibrant red top-knots of floral parts. It is not a cactus, although it looks like one. It is a very variable deciduous spiny succulent species, with a single stem, usually not ramified.
It has suckering, spineless, symmetrical, bright-green columns with prominent variegated horizontal banding. Generally it forms 5 to 8 vertical ribs and columns grow up to 10 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter..
The leaves are simple, clustered towards the tips of branches on a thick and short stalk, emerald green, basally red with white prominent veins on the underside, 6-15 cm long and 3(-6) cm wide, oval, at the end with a little mucro.
It has a delightful scarlet red flower shown in bloom.
Environment
Euphorbia need well-draining soil and need sunny to light shaded places. They are not particular about soil pH, but they cannot tolerant wet soil. Unlike most succulents,does not handle long periods of drought well. It may need weekly watering during the summer. Water whenever the soil is dry several inches below the surface. Water deeply, but don t let them sit in wet soil, which can cause root rot. Add some organic matter or fertilizer to the planting hole. If you are growing them in containers or your soil is poor, feed with a half-strength fertilizer monthly.
Landscape Uses
Excellent specimen for container, Offices, Rock garden
Caution
Euphorbia bongolavensis is likely to exude a toxic latex when its tissue is damaged, which can cause irritation, inflammation and blistering.
