Euphorbia polygona (yoo-FOR-bee-uh pol-lee-GO-nah)
Family: EuphorbiaceaeNon-nativeHerbaceous
HerbaceousNon-native
'Nova' African Milk Barrel is a spiny succulent shrub with irregular basally clumping stems with distinctive coloration and waviness of the spines. This columnar plant has sharp ridges lined with thorns. It can have stripes of white and green marking its stem. They will form clusters over time. The growth habit of this species makes it resemble the unrelated barrel cacti. 'Nova' can be grown outdoors in summer and brought indoors before frost. They need bright sunlight, great drainage, and infrequent water to prevent rot. Grow in containers with many drainage holes and soil appropriate for succulents and cacti and water deeply between periods of dring out. Easy to grow. The milky sap of euphorbia can irritate the skin so wear gloves to handle. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Euphorbia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower detail
Very small green and yellow solitary cyathia, pedunculate. The involucre is finely hairy with 5 glands and 5 large lobes. Involucres glands are green, blooms in summer.
Bloom time
Summer
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Erect, cylindrical stems up to 4 inches thick with spines
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southern Africa
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden
Garden tags
#interiorscape #offsets plantlets #houseplant #succulent #low maintenance #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #drought tolerant #problem for dogs #problem for cats #poisonous #problem for children #contact dermatitis #container plant #xeriscape
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs
Resistant to
Drought
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Sap/Juice
Poison symptoms
The milky white latex sap found in all plant parts can cause mild to severe contact dermatitis. If contact with the eyes occurs the sap can cause temporary to permanent damage to the cornea. If eaten, blistering can occur on lips and oral mucosa. Avoid ingesting plant parts and keep plants away from pets and children.