Euphorbia fruticosa Inermis - Spurge

The Euphorbia fruticosa 'Inermis' is a spineless variety of succulent shrub. It is a very attractive plant that branches out from the base into a spreading clump of large, fleshy, cylindrical stems, deeply ribbed, not too tall, bluish-green. From autumn to spring, its apex bears small, bright yellow cyathia along the edges, highlighting its slightly twisted ribs and enhancing the cooler tones of its tough epidermis. Resistant to heat and drought, it only requires a bright exposure, any well-drained substrate, and very little watering. Frost-resistant and with normal to fast growth, it is an easily cultivated plant that forms very graphic pots indoors.

The Euphorbia fruticosa 'Inermis' belongs to the vast family of euphorbiaceae. It is a cultivar of the Euphorbia fruticosa, native to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, which grows on well-drained, rocky soils, even deep in crevices of hills and rocky slopes and dry scrub vegetation. It is a frost-tolerant succulent plant that thrives in a pot in full light with well-drained soil and occasional watering during the growing season, from March to September. In winter, bring it indoors to protect it from frost.

The Euphorbia fruticosa 'Inermis' differs from the species by the absence of spines. It is a perennial succulent shrub with woody stems that branches heavily from the base and resembles a cactus. It develops a clump of bluish-green, erect stems, not too tall, about 9 cm (4in) in diameter, fleshy, cylindrical, and divided into 10 to 13 deep, vertical, and sometimes undulating ribs. It forms true colonies of shoots about 60 cm (24in) in all directions. From October to March, this plant produces tiny flowers with colorful bracts, bright yellow, along the ribs near its top. The stems and leaves contain a milky, sticky, and toxic juice.

In Mediterranean regions, the Euphorbia fruticosa 'Inermis' will find its place in a dry and sunny rock garden or on a wild slope. Elsewhere, it can be planted in a fairly large pot that will be stored away when the first cold weather arrives and will not be watered until the growth resumes in spring.