Hi Marie, I always drool over your pictures! I have a little collection but nothing like yours. I believe your green thumb has little thorns all over it! I would like your advice. I have been able to easily root COT (Euphorbia milii) and have them in pots all over my yard. They add such reliable color. They are never not in bloom. How can you not love that? All of the plants in the photos below came from single red and pink plants. The problem is that some of them are getting a little leggy and top heavy. Would you prune these? If so, where along the stem would you make the cut? I have noticed, from a few COT that got frozen back, that no matter where the freeze damage stops along the stem, new growth is almost always (but not 100%) from the roots. Most of the time (but not 100%), there is no new growth along the healthy branches. New growth comes up straight up from the soil line even though there are healthy branches. So that makes me wonder if should I cut these back off near the soil? It doesn't seem like there is any advantage to leaving 3-4" of stem because it will be left just waving there in the air with no leaves or flowers. I'm afraid it will be an eyesore sticking up in the middle of the plant. What do you think? Anyone have any good info about cutting back COT? The Martha Stewart video linked below is just completely worthless. She hacks this poor lady's COT up to pieces, doesn't address the lady's questions and really doesn't have a clue. I swear Martha is just shooting from the hip as she goes along and she as much as says so: ================ Martha: I'm going to trim off this dead wood...Oh look... it just breaks right off. Martha: Don't you think it is a little tall? Sweet lady: Definitely. Martha: ...so maybe we can cut it down a little bit... there's nothing happening down here... so if we just sort-of cut it off here... Sweet lady: Will it sprout down at the bottom? Martha: I don't know if it will or not but we'll see. (You don't know? We'll see?! ) And then Martha runs off with all of the cuttings. Of course, we never do see. There is no post-op follow-up. ================ So Marie and all of you experts, what would you do? Thanks, Carol in Jacksonville Here is a link that might be useful: Martha Stewart - Pruning and Propagating Crown of Thorns Plants

Those are awesome! And you weren't kidding about having some potted plants! I'm absolutely in awe of your collection, because up here in Wisconsin, those plants don't perform all that well with our 6 month winters. Gotta love our nanny state government huh? Always dictating how we can live our lives now. For the record, if I was your neighbor, I'd love to see those plants everyday, front yard or back. Joe

I was linked to your post because I was trying to identify the COT. My grandmother had one while I was a child and for some reason the only name ever said around it was Christmas Cactus which is thornless. I am trying to get into gardening (horrible history of having a black thumb) and wanting plants that remind me of my green thumb grandmother that passed away a year ago. I always loved the "wicked bush" and it was not among the plants that she had at her home that we are still getting plants from, many of which she had on the farm that she raised my mama in. So I asked if anyone had any ideas and continued looking at plants and found it was a COT. I had no idea there were so many colors available. My grandmothers was brilliant red. Thank you for sharing you're gorgeous collection.

I had few plants in pot and I left side by side..all the colors planted initially was different colors but when plant grew big side by side and plants started flowering it was all same color...why was that and what can be done next?