Euphorbia Erytrea – Desert Cactus

Another easy to care for addition to the succulent family, Euphorbia erytrea is an impressive presentation of living architecture. Capable of reaching heights of up to 2 meters indoors, this cactus displays a rippled, undulating silhouette with a serration of spines along its margins. A gathering of plantlets pinches in at the waist of the main stem, harkening back to the blazing arid climates of the Badlands.

Please note: The skin of Euphorbia erytrea can scratch, but their resilient nature allows them to scar over swiftly, enhancing its rugged charm.

Horty Hints

Stop the rot! Allow your cactus’ soil to completely dry out in between watering as excess water can lead to root rot.

Is it getting hot in here?! The Euphorbia erytrea lives its best life in a warm environment, ideally no cooler than 15°C.

Beware the burn! Your Euphorbia erytrea will love that extra dose of sunshine so pop it in the perfectly sunny spot but be careful to avoid leaf scorch!

Light

Euphorbia erytrea needs lots of bright light. Direct sunlight is fine and can often be beneficial, but take care to ensure this does not scorch the plant.

Watering

Allow the soil of your cactus to dry out before watering. Do not overwater as this can lead to waterlogged roots and rot. Drought tolerant for short periods.

Temperature

The Desert Cactus prefers reasonably warm conditions, ideally from 15-27°C. Keep out of draughts as these can create undesirable temperature fluctuations.

Humidity

This plant will thrive in higher humidity locations, but can tolerate normal room humidity. Consider misting occasionally.

Feed

Apply a half strength dose of liquid fertiliser in the summer months.

View Plant Nutrition

Height & Growth Rate

The Desert Cactus is a very slow-grower and typically reaches an indoor height of 1-2 metres.

Toxicity

The sap is poisonous and an irritant. Avoid getting into your eyes or mouth and handle with care.

Origin

Euphorbia erytrea is native to South Africa.

Please note: images show how this plant may look at various stages of maturity. The size you choose may look different.

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