Euphorbia poissoniiPoisson's Spurge

Euphorbia poissonii is a West African succulent that grows as a stand of thick, blunt-spined, grey-green columns, each topped through the wet season by a rosette of paddle-shaped leaves that is shed again as conditions dry. Dry gardens use it for exactly that candelabra effect.

It carries one of the most caustic latexes in a genus known for them, and that is a specification issue rather than a footnote. The sap is used traditionally as a fish poison, and contact with skin or eyes causes serious injury.

Specifications

• Height1 to 2 metres
• Width0.5 to 1 metre, spreading into clumps
• Native toWest Africa, principally Nigeria, Niger and Benin
• FoliagePaddle-shaped leaves at the stem tips through the wet season, shed as conditions dry; the spined stems are the permanent structure
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilRequires sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil and will not tolerate wet ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in arid, semi-arid and hot seasonally dry regions

Additional Features

• FormClumping columns of blunt-spined grey-green stems, branching from the base
• UsesSculptural accent in gravel gardens, arid plant collections, raised beds and containers
• SpacingPlant 1 to 1.5 metres apart, and well back from paths and seating
• Low MaintenanceNo feeding or pruning is required; handle only with gloves and eye protection
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resistant, with rot following overwatering rather than any pest
• Drought ToleranceStores water in the stems and needs almost no irrigation once rooted
• ToxicityThe latex is severely caustic and causes serious skin and eye injury, so the species should not be used in public or unsupervised planting

Poisson's Spurge is a striking arid-collection succulent for controlled settings, and the handling risk belongs in the specification, not the small print.