Euphorbia baionensis

Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitat:

Euphorbia baionensis is native to semi-arid habitats in mountain areas of Kenya, where it grows in rocky outcrops and little crevices.

Description:

Euphorbia baionensis is a perennial plant, very appreciated by succulent enthusiasts because it looks like a cacti. Though the Euphorbia genus is totally unrelated to cacti from a phylogenetic point of view, Euphorbias had to develop a similar morphology to face similar environmental conditions, which are the semi-arid habitats in this case the mountain areas of Kenya. This coping mechanism is called convergent evolution and is the reason why Euphorbias are often mistaken for cacti by unfamiliar succulent growers. Euphorbia baionensis is indeed particularly similar to a cacti, consisting in this clump of cylindrical, erect stems, covered in elongated blackish spines. It though doesn’t exceed 30 centimeters in height, and its stems are rather slender (up to 2 centimeters thick). Like in cacti, the stem is divided into numerous ribs (8 to 10), though not so pronounced in this species. On these ribs, there are white, irregularly rounded spots, from which the spines grow. Spines are very sharp and long (up to 1.5 centimeters): pay attention as you handle this plant. The flowers are called cyathia, as in every Euphorbia. We remind that a cyathium (cyathia in the plural form) is one of the specialised false flowers forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus Euphorbia. In E. baionensis they are small (up to 3 millimeters), bright yellow, scattered along the stem, though more numerous near the top. Cyathia are enveloped by special structures that look like the petals of regular flowers, called cyathophylls, that, in this species, are rounded and bright yellow in colour.

Cultivation:

Growing Euphorbia baionensis isn’t difficult. Here are some tips to help you out:

Make sure it’s getting plenty of light, like near a sunny window. It needs a lot of light to keep its unique shape. If you put it in full sun, it’ll grow faster, but it might get a little unruly and need some support.
Keep it at temperatures above 5-8ºC. It can technically handle temps down to -1ºC, but just to be safe, bring it inside during the winter. And make sure the soil it’s in is completely dry during the winter to avoid rotting.
Water it regularly during spring and summer, about once a week. Just make sure the soil is completely dry before each watering. And don’t water it at all during the winter when it’s dormant.
Use a well-draining soil, like a mix for succulents. It should have a lot of mineral content, like pumice, clay, or lapilli.
Fertilize it once a year with a product high in phosphorus and potassium and low in nitrogen. Use half the recommended amount on the label. And don’t fertilize it after September, otherwise the stems will become weak and have too much water, which could be bad for the plant during the winter.
Repot it when it outgrows its current pot. It has a relatively fast growth rate, but it usually stays small, so you don’t need to repot it every year. But it’ll still benefit from it. Repot it early in the spring and use a pot that’s just slightly bigger than the plant, about 1 or 2 centimeters wider. And wear gloves to protect yourself from the latex in the stem, it can be irritating.

Propagation:

The easiest way to propagate this species is by cuttings. Take off a cutting in Spring or Summer, wash it with warm water to remove the irritating latex, and lie it down in a gritty, porous compost to help the rooting. Before replanting it in fresh soil, we advise to wait for around a week to let the wound dry up a little bit. Sowing is also a possible method, though it’s more difficult to obtain success in germination. Germination usually occur within 1-2 weeks. It’s better to sow as soon as possible after collecting the seeds, as they will loose their ability to germinate in around a year.

Curiosity:

The genus name Euphorbia is derived from the Greek word “Euphorbus,” which was the name of the Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia (52-50 BC – 23 AD). The King named this genus in honor of his physician. It is also worth noting that the term “Euphorbia” comes from the Greek word “Euphorbos”, which means well-fed, referring to the fact that some species of this genus were used to feed cattle. The species name “baionensis” is derived from the latin word “baionensis” which means from La Palma (Baiona).

Official Web Site:
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www.giromagicactus.com

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