Euphorbia characias (Mediterranean spurge)

Japanese name: ユーフォルビア カラキアス
Scientific name: Euphorbia characias

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial or subshrub 0.9–1.2 m in both height and spread, found in rocky, dry places in its native habitat.
White milky sap comes out when the stems or leaves are damaged.
The stems are erect and usually unbranched.
The leaves are simple and alternate, broadly linear to oblanceolate, about 13 cm long, and bluish green.
A flowering branch emerges at the stem tip, bracts are borne at the tip of the flowering branch, and a cyathium emerges at their center, forming a cylindrical flower spike 6–15 cm long overall.
The flowers are enclosed in a yellow to yellowish-green urn-shaped involucre and have no petals.
The glands on the inflorescence are yellow, brownish, dark brown, black and so on.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Uses]
Although a poisonous plant, its milky sap is used as a folk medicine.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, 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, dry soil.
If the light is too poor, the plant's shape becomes untidy and it flowers poorly.
It dislikes heat and humidity.
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.
Fertilize sparingly; apply a small amount of slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn, making sure no fertilizer remains in midsummer.
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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