African Milk Tree
Common Name: Royal Red
Family: Euphorbaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Botanical Name: Euphorbia trigonia rubra
Difficulty: Great for beginners
Light
These guys love bright sunlight, but can actually thrive in partial shade. They just need a minimum of four hours of bright indirect sunlight a day.
Water
Let your african milk tree dry out before watering them. They don’t tolerate a soggy soil and will develop root rot very quickly.
Climate
They will be happiest in temperatures above 55°F. They will start to suffer in temperatures below that. They can be kept outside, but you should be prepared to bring them inside in the winter and fall.
Soil
Despite their appearance, these guys are not cacti, and do not need to be kept in a cactus mix. They do just fine in a regular, well-draining potting mix.
Pests and Diseases
Tips
Keep them in a south-facing window or a west-facing window.
Feel an inch down into the soil. If it is damp, your plant does not need to be watered yet.
Outdoor plants can flower white or yellow during the growing months (spring and summer).
Signs your plant is unhappy
Tipping over (with wet soil): over watering
Yellow leaves: over watering
Loss of its red color: not enough sunlight
How to propagate
Before you get ready to take a clipping from your african milk tree, you should get a thick pair of gloves to protect your skin from their milky sap. Pick an arm of your mature plant and cut it off at the base of the stalk. Rinse that end off to clear off the sap, and then place it into a little pot prepared with potting soil. You will need to keep the soil moist but not soggy until it has established a root system (about two weeks).
Fun Facts
They can grow six-eight feet tall, and they grow cactus-like branches that resemble arms.
They have very small root systems.
They are not cacti!
They’re very hardy when it comes to under watering and tolerate it well.
Hardiness zones
Before you move your plant outside, be sure to check the hardiness zone to save yourself some grief and the loss of a beloved plant.
The hardiness zones for African Milk Tree are : 9a-11b
If you live in Tennessee, here’s a hardiness map to help you decide if your plant can survive outside!
