CROWN-OF-THORNS

Euphorbia milii (crown-of-thorns, Christ plant, Christ thorn) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, a native of Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821. It is suspected that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns of Christ.

It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are found mainly on new growth, and are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad. The sap is moderately poisonous. Wat Phrik in Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ plant.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

POINSETTIAS

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a culturally and commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family that is indigenous to Mexico and Central America. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the United States in 1825.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Trees & Bushes meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

EUPHORBIA

Euphorbia characias subspecies wulfenii is a shrubby perennial growing to about 1 m, with blue-green leaves. In late winter and spring it has stunning rounded heads of acidic lime-green bracts, which last for a long period. A Mediterranean plant, it needs a sunny, well-drained position. It combines well with other Mediterranean plants which grow in temperate climates, such as French lavender Lavandula dentata, tough purple flag irises (the original Iris germanica), perennial statice (Limonium perezii), Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans), rosemary, perennial wallflowers (Erysimum mutabile) - which all enjoy the same garden conditions.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
and also part of the Friday Greens meme.