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Cacti & Succulents

Euphorbia Paper Cactus

13 years ago

I recently purchased a Euphorbia from my local nursery. They said the name was 'Paper Cactus'. A Google search

revealed only one hit which in fact is the plant I have. A link to the website is below. Can anyone identify it by it's correct name. I emailed Botanical Growers to whom the web address belongs but got no response. Thank you,

http://www.botanicalgrowers.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=eb72f7a56acd83b678f61bb3e3d8aeb8&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BGN&Product_Code=EUP-PAC

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Comments (6)

cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
13 years ago
KT,

I can't remember the name, but this plant's been discussed recently. If you search for 'Euphorbia' I think you'll find it, but there's probably someone coming along to give you the proper name.

Although many Euphorbia species look like they're cacti, they're not - they're in the Euphorbiaceae family, while cacti are in the (!!!) Cactaceae - it's a case of convergent evolution if there ever was one, I tell you.

And nurseries are known to have misnamed plants, but this one is particularly egregious (both for the double Family name and the fact that they should know better).
paracelsus
13 years ago
Tephrocactus articulatus is sometimes called 'paper cactus', but your link really is a Euphorbia, although not one known as a 'paper cactus', or at least should not be. The plant is in that picture looks like an extremely etiolated tree euphorb (abyssinica, ammak, ingens, , pseudocactus, trigona, lactea...)

Brad
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Ian - Indeed that is wet haydite. I should snap a pic of it dry for comparison. I find it quite attractive in my mix and have used it for top-dressing on a couple of "dressed up" plants that I know have sharp draining soil below. I used to use Turface, which is also an excellent grit, just not as attractive. NY - Trying to ship 40lb sacks might get expensive. I suggest that you let your fingers do the walking! Start with your local parks and recreation dept. Get a number for the dept. that maintains the ballfields. Where you find baseball, you will find turface or haydite. Also, haydite has a website that will assist you in finding the closest retail dealer. Here's a couple of addys to read up on it. www.haydite.com www.youkoubonsai.com/haydite.htm SnB gave you the reason why these type products are so desirable in soil mixes: "this type of top dressing tends to suck up the water more than straight grit. This may make it easier to see when there is still moisture in the soil, which can be handy with winter growers. It will also make the soil dry out faster since there will be continual evaporation from the surface instead of it drying out and trapping moisture." And what it does as top dressing it does throughout the soil when used in your mix. It's smooth and uniform, allowing for quick drainage but holds a tad of moisture for the plant to draw on. It dries quickly and is very is to "read", though as Ian pointed out, it is not 'the soil' that needs water but 'the plant'. HTH - Jo
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Use bamboo/wooden skewer or chopstick or even dowel with sharpened end (pencil will work too); insert deep into pot and leave for just few min. When you pull it out and is dry and clean, soil is dry. Otherwise it will feel damp-cold and may have soil particles sticking to it. I prefer to check this way since it can be inserted deeper. Many ppl do as you do. Succulents need lots of good light and 'no direct sunlight' may be too dark. I am sure room doesn't freeze; but if it is cooler, it is even more important to make sure that soil doesn't stay wet for too long. By cold I mean approx. 10*C and lower. At those temps, many succulents do not need water for 2-3 mo. If it was my plant, I would use much different potting mix. If nothing else, soil should be mixed with lots of coarse perlite. By lots I mean 50% or more. If you were using even more grainy mix (one that has very little or no soil at all, and lots of grit and perlite for example), plant should be watered thoroughly when it is time to water. In a mix like that, any excess water will drain out of drainage holes, making sure roots are not being suffocated.
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kaktuskris
13 years ago
Looks like Euphorbia bougheyi to me. Do a Google Image search for that and I think you will see your plant. Not too common.

Christopher

Here is a link that might be useful: Euphorbia bougheyi
kew_tip
Original Author
13 years ago
Christopher. That's it! Many thanks for your response. As you say, not too common. I found very little information on the Internet.
land3499
13 years ago
I hesitated at first, but Christopher is exactly right. Be careful as it can get to 20' fall in habitat (Mozambique!)

-R
kaktuskris
13 years ago
Glad I could be of help. Unfortunately, for some Euphorbia species, there is very little information about them available online. Even on the most extensive site, www.euphorbia.de, some Euphorbia are not even listed. I have two Euphorbia cereiformis, a species about which I have been able to find very scant information on online. One would have thought with a genus as large as Euphorbia, there would be more resources available.

Christopher

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