A Euphorbia DRAMA!! White blood...
The monster fell. In the photo, it's down and bleeding white blood-like sap but it's okay. It could have been much worse for several reasons. This is a 7' (2.13 m) euphorbia. Until now, I had never bothered to identify it as it stood innocently in my kitchen nook for 25 years. I had it for a couple of years before then too.
Last week it started looking a little tipsy. For obvious reasons, like those thorns, it doesn't get transplanted often enough but it seems pretty content to be pot bound. When it gets plenty of water, it grows leaves along its stems and then grows too quickly. I just give it a sparse watering and it stands there quite happily since it's a drought resistant species.
I keep it contained by pruning it when it gets too big. It fell once before, about 15 years ago. I remember coming home from work to find it sprawled across the kitchen table. I had no choice but to go at it with a chef's knife while wearing oven mitts.
Today, in my armour of a sweatshirt and those oven mitts, I lifted it back into place. I expected it to lean against the wall but it didn't. That's odd. For a large plant it has a tenuous root structure and whenever I have repotted it or moved it, it has leaned against the wall while I worry about it ever standing on its own again. Then magically, within 24 hours, it does. This time, I will find it a low, broader and heavier pot.
After I rescued it, I decided to identify it and found this quote. It's from the article in the resource section.
It's best to use caution with any Euphorbia - they are interesting, intriguing and poisonous, with caustic sap that can cause blindness or a contact dermatitis skin rash like nothing you've ever seen.
Have I been lucky? Maybe. I was certainly lucky that it chose to fall when it did and into the spot recently vacated by the plants that have gone outdoors. I was lucky that it didn't break anywhere or anything, and I now know that it's dangerous and to be careful. Funny, I have often referred to this room as my Little Shop of Horrors.
References
Images
All photos from the iPad of @kansuze.
@kansuze
Amazing that you have kept it alive that long. Euphorbia sap warnings are pretty alarmist but it's not one to get in your eyes. Skin reactions can vary
I have gotten the sap on myself and wiped it off quickly, but I never knew how bad it was until I posted this.
That's very cool that you've had it for 25 years. It's part of the family.
I love when I read cautionary things after it's too late. Well, that's handy. Hey, I'm still alive!
It's only really cool if you live! lol That plant is half the age of my jade tree.
Wow, huge house plant Sue! Incredible!
Yes, it's one of 3 I have had that big in my Little Shop of Horrors and my dragonfruit look like they're ready to reach out and grab someone.