Euphorbia oblongata (Balkan spurge)

Japanese name: ユーフォルビア オブロンガタ
Scientific name: Euphorbia oblongata

[Overview]
A short-lived perennial about 45–60 cm tall.
It is sometimes treated as an annual.
White milky sap comes out when the stems or leaves are damaged.
The stems are slender, erect and densely hairy.
The leaves are simple and alternate, elliptic to lanceolate, 4–6.5 cm long.
The leaf margins have fine teeth.
In autumn the leaves turn red, and the stems also become red.
Leaves are borne in a whorl-like arrangement at the branch tips; from here 5 flowering branches radiate out, and a cyathium emerges at the center of the yellow bracts at the tip of each flowering branch.
Flowering branches also emerge from the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem.
The flowers have no petals.
The glands on the inflorescence are yellow.
The fruit is a spherical capsule with wart-like projections on the surface.
When ripe, the fruit splits into 3 parts.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
For cuttings, immediately wash the cut surface with water or soak it in water to wash off the white milky sap, then let the cut surface dry before inserting it.
It prefers sunny, well-ventilated, well-drained soil.
Take care not to let it become too humid when watering; for potted plants, water thoroughly from spring to autumn when the soil has dried, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
It tolerates dryness well.
In spring and autumn, apply a small amount of slow-release fertilizer.
Pests and diseases include rust, powdery mildew and scale insects.

[Notes]
The milky sap may cause a rash if it touches the skin.

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