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Euphorbia globosa

Species: Euphorbia glubosa
For my first post, I have chosen to share my beautiful Euphorbia globosa. 

I am going to begin by going on a brief tangent about plant naming (because it’s cool). 

A plants scientific name has two parts: 
  1. The genus name.  The genus name describes a group of plants that share common characteristics (and usually a common ancestor).
  2. The specific name. The specific name is what identifies the individual species.
So in the case of the species Euphorbia globuse:
  • Euphorbia is the genus, which contains approx. 2,100 species, all sharing a milky sap.
  •  Globose is the specific name, which when combined with Euphorbia identifies the species.
The Euphorbia genus was named after Euphorbus, a Greek physician to king Juba II, who discovered a euphorbia plant in the Atlas Mountains that had medical properties and used it as a laxative!

‘Globose’ is derived from the Latin ‘globosus’, which means a ball, sphere or globular structure; which fits this plant perfectly in my opinion.

I picked up this charming succulent in my local garden centre, for ~£4. The label reads ‘stem succulent from South Africa.’ I like it when I know where my plants would naturally occur. I was drawn to its weird ball like structures, and its unusual appearance.

Care instructions: This species has its genus’ characteristic milky sap, but it is poisonous and a skin irritant so contact with it should be avoided. Saying that, I have not seen the sap, so this has not been a problem. It does not have spines or spikes, which makes it easy to re-pot and handle.

Like most succulents it loves full sun (but is tolerant of partial/light shade) and requires very little watering. 

My research suggests watering should be done when the soil is dry, but care is required to prevent the roots from sitting in water for a long time as this will cause root rot and kill the plant. The plant will require less watering in winter as the plant will not be growing as much and the water will take longer to be absorbed/evaporate. 

My research suggests it is pretty tolerant of cold/hot, but prefers 15-30°C. My thermostat tends to sit at 19°C, so that should be okay. 

I have mine potted in cactus potting mixture, with grit added at the bottom for added drainage.

An internet search suggests the plant may flower in spring, growing first a long stalk, followed by a pale yellow/white bloom. However, mine is showing no signs of this yet. I will update if a stalk appears.

Overall, I love this weird looking marble-cluster-like plant, and cannot wait to see what weird and wonderful shape it grows into. 

Any questions/corrections- please comment below 😁

My Euphorbia globosa on its shelf








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