Euphorbia arceuthobioides grown large

A mature Euphorbia arceuthobioides shrub will match E. mauritanica and E. burmannii in profusion and density of stems and branches; all of them among the big, shrubby euphorbias of the southern Cape. Plants as big as this one are, however, not often seen. Maybe the porcupines eat the roots before most plants can reach such a size. That is, if they do eat enough of one plant’s tuber to kill it.

The height recorded for this species is up to 60 cm, although plants of 30 cm are more common. The angularity of the branches pointing sideways more than up, the high number of branches and the tapering stem-shapes all contribute to ease of identifying this species (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).