Euphorbia tithymaloides

Learning from a Memory

| Flower Roberts

I was working outside on this cool and overcast day when I had an epiphany that required sharing.
There are two “family plants” in my safe-keeping. The first is a pink peony we call ‘ The Pearson Peony’ and another house plant we call ‘ The Gran Plant’ which is a Christmas Candle plant/ Euphorbia tithymaloides.


I am anxious about keeping these alive to share with family.
I had trimmed my Gran Plant down last fall to share with an Aunt Gail and cousin, Jamie. These two new plants are already leggy,  so I cut them back again.

Candle Candle cuttings


This is what caused the epiphany. My Gran always kept cuttings of this plant in a squatty green wine bottle. I thought she was rooting it to share. Now , thirty years after her death I realize that she was not cutting it to share her Euphorbia, she was cutting it to shape it.


Wow! FLOW is slow.

I would like to add that this Christmas Candle plant is also called Devi’s Backbone and Red Bird plant because of its red flowers…which I have NEVER seen.
Help me out plant people. What else am I doing wrong?

SLOW FLOW needs to know.

P.S. Gail and Jamie. Its sap is poisonous to dogs.

The Gran Plant

| Flower Roberts

I spent decades calling this ‘The Gran Plant’ before I knew its proper name. Our family still refers to it as such. My Gran kept this plant in her foyer in the winter and on her porch in the summer. It was planted in a gorgeous Majolica Jardiniere. My Aunt has this planter in her dining room.

It seems strange to call it ‘Christmas Candle Plant’ or ‘Redbird Cactus’ since I have never seen it bloom.

I won’t be calling it ‘Devil’s Backbone’ because I have too many other “Devil’s” all ready. Its Latin name is Euphorbia (Pedilanthus)tithymaloides. I definitely will not be calling it that.

There are many conflicting facts about this plant on the internet. The most interesting pair was that the milky sap is poisonous versus making a cocktail with it. Some say water it in winter, some say do not. Another tip is to root cuttings in dry soil, while I have always successfully rooted them in water.

I am the guardian of ‘The Gran Plant’ and ‘The Pearson Peony’ for the family. I consider this responsibility of great importance. These living legacies are of great value.

The FLOWER Keeper