League of Nations 100 years episode of NAME THAT PLANT!!

[NOT A TA]

This plant showed up overnight in my potting area. Not unusual for neighbors to just leave plants they think I might want in the front yard or even let themselves through the gate and put plants in the potting area. I've never seen a plant anything like this close up in person. It's very stiff and sharp. I potted it up in an old pot I had laying around that seemed appropriate for its current size and root ball but have no clue how big it should get, growth speed, or growing conditions it might like. Whoever left it may not ever tell me they left it so probably won't get much help from them. Any help appreciated!

[Silas_Sancona]

Cristate form of either a Euphorbia or Cacti.. ( if you prick it and it bleeds latex = Euphorb.. which can irritate skin, eyes. ) Not sure on an exact species though.. Real nice gift left for you though..

[Gonzer]

Possibly Euphorbia lactea f. cristata

[NOT A TA]

2 hours ago, Gonzer said:

Euphorbia lactea f. cristata

 

5 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Real nice gift left for you though..

I believe you guys are correct! I did the googles search based on your input and found a pic of a plant that looks like mine at The Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai. http://thebotanicgardensatkonakai.blogspot.com/2013/09/aquascape-garden-snorkle-trip.html

Any recommendations for care. Sun, shade or something between? water? Soil?

[Silas_Sancona]

45 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

 

I believe you guys are correct! I did the googles search based on your input and found a pic of a plant that looks like mine at The Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai. http://thebotanicgardensatkonakai.blogspot.com/2013/09/aquascape-garden-snorkle-trip.html

Any recommendations for care. Sun, shade or something between? water? Soil?

Sun, with maybe a little afternoon shade should be fine.  No need for much water ( treat like Cacti or Crown of Thorns ) and soil that drains well.. Pretty easy plant actually.

[NOT A TA]

28 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

treat like Cacti or Crown of Thorns

Soil (if we can call it that here) is VERY sandy. I have to water Crown of Thorns within about 3 days after a good soaking rain here or they drop their lower leaves and look "stalky". Same with the lawn, St Augustine.  I'm going to replace the Crown of Thorns at a school entrance vigilante landscape job because they keep dropping lower leaves when I don't go there and water, which I want to get away from doing on a regular basis. Anyway, I'll try using the same water tactics on the Euphorbia.

Speaking of cactus and crown of thorns I have some plants I grew from cuttings I got from a neighbor that look kinda like crown of thorns on steroids. Thicker stronger stems, thicker thorns, flowers a bit lower rather than the top. Don't have a pic on file but I can get one tomorrow. Any idea what they might be? Cactus?

[Silas_Sancona]

3 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

Soil (if we can call it that here) is VERY sandy. I have to water Crown of Thorns within about 3 days after a good soaking rain here or they drop their lower leaves and look "stalky". Same with the lawn, St Augustine.  I'm going to replace the Crown of Thorns at a school entrance vigilante landscape job because they keep dropping lower leaves when I don't go there and water, which I want to get away from doing on a regular basis. Anyway, I'll try using the same water tactics on the Euphorbia.

Speaking of cactus and crown of thorns I have some plants I grew from cuttings I got from a neighbor that look kinda like crown of thorns on steroids. Thicker stronger stems, thicker thorns, flowers a bit lower rather than the top. Don't have a pic on file but I can get one tomorrow. Any idea what they might be? Cactus?

If it has the same brownish colored, thorny stems, it might be one of the Thai- type of Crown of Thorns.. A ..like you described.." bigger version of the typical" Crown of Thorns with the reddish or whitish flowers..  Like both, but esp. the Thai Crowns for flowers ( much bigger/ showier ) will produce the same whitish latex sap most f not all other Euphorbs do if poked, or if you remove a leaf.

 

[NOT A TA]

5 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Thai- type of Crown of Thorns

^^^ Could be.... I'll get a pic of both side by side. Cuttings of the ones on steroids (possibly Thai)  don't root quite as easily, particularly larger cuttings. The short ones seem to root easier.

[Gonzer]

8 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

^^^ Could be.... I'll get a pic of both side by side. Cuttings of the ones on steroids (possibly Thai)  don't root quite as easily, particularly larger cuttings. The short ones seem to root easier.

Euphorbia is one of the most diversified and bewildering genera out there. From prostrate weeds to towering columnar types the genus has something for everyone. Although I don't know anybody who collects Spurge.

[Silas_Sancona]

On 1/11/2020 at 4:56 AM, Gonzer said:

 From prostrate weeds to towering columnar types the genus has something for everyone. Although I don't know anybody who collects Spurge.

Well, there are people who collect and cultivate Mosses.. Why not start a collection of various forms of Spotted spurge i guess, lol Neighbors might not be too thrilled however

[NOT A TA]

1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Well, there are people who collect and cultivate Mosses..

I'm one of those people. Started as a kid about 10-11 YO growing it at my parents house collected from nearby woods. When I grew up and still lived up North I had a beautiful mound covered with moss at my home in the city I'd collected transplanted from a wooded area. Took me about 10 years to get it perfect.

Forgot to get the "Crown of" pic, will do so this afternoon.

[Silas_Sancona]

2 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

I'm one of those people. Started as a kid about 10-11 YO growing it at my parents house collected from nearby woods. When I grew up and still lived up North I had a beautiful mound covered with moss at my home in the city I'd collected transplanted from a wooded area. Took me about 10 years to get it perfect.

Forgot to get the "Crown of" pic, will do so this afternoon.

No rush 

Tried to do something similar back in California, especially when i'd take hikes up in the mountains and collect a clump or two growing on or near Redwoods or large boulders.. Wayy too dry in the valley to keep them going past spring though.. Would never come back the following winter.. Same w/ any of the Maiden Hair Ferns i tried. Have seen some great pictures of using mosses as a substitute for small-ish lawn spaces and imagine it would look spectacular..  Do eventually want to try some of the Xeric-type Selaginella though. 

[NOT A TA]

I had no lawn at the home I grew the moss at.  Just gardens, brick walks/patio, deck, wrought iron, because I really don't like grass very much.  I'd mist the moss daily in the morning during dry months. Wish I had a pic of it but never took one  that I recall.

When I was about 13 we went on a family vacation around the country for a couple months with a station wagon and a travel trailer. When I saw the coast Redwoods Sequoia sempervirens I was in awe and said "I MUST HAVE!" sooo (after internal debate) I parted with my lawn mowing savings for a "Redwood Burl" which came with instructions so I could grow a Redwood. Following instructions it did sprout, however it died. That was the first time I lost money playing with plants and I was really disappointed. I was reminded of all my previous experiments transplanting things out of the woods and learning that plants thrive where the conditions best suit them. I knew better than to buy the burl but I did it anyway.....

 

[Silas_Sancona]

On 1/12/2020 at 7:21 PM, NOT A TA said:

I had no lawn at the home I grew the moss at.  Just gardens, brick walks/patio, deck, wrought iron, because I really don't like grass very much.  I'd mist the moss daily in the morning during dry months. Wish I had a pic of it but never took one  that I recall.

When I was about 13 we went on a family vacation around the country for a couple months with a station wagon and a travel trailer. When I saw the coast Redwoods Sequoia sempervirens I was in awe and said "I MUST HAVE!" sooo (after internal debate) I parted with my lawn mowing savings for a "Redwood Burl" which came with instructions so I could grow a Redwood. Following instructions it did sprout, however it died. That was the first time I lost money playing with plants and I was really disappointed. I was reminded of all my previous experiments transplanting things out of the woods and learning that plants thrive where the conditions best suit them. I knew better than to buy the burl but I did it anyway.....

 

Yep.. Crown of Thorns ( Euphorbia milii ) though maybe not the Thai-types?.. ( perhaps a bit stretched atm, possibly..)

Here's a couple pics of a few i had ( got cooked here.. Surprised since i'd have thought they'd tolerate our sun/heat well.. )


Funny you mentioned the Redwoods.. Growing up in California, you kind of take them for granted.. at least most planted around my old neighborhood. some looked great, others ( most ) looked thin and thirsty. Always liked camping in some of the parks nearby, under the big boys though.

Used to do the same thing ( trialing stuff i'd transplant out of nearby woods / habitat ) w/ local natives both in CA, and when i lived in Kansas. Had a colony of Shooting Stars ( Genus Primula, **formally Dodecatheon** ) on the flat side of a flagstone for years until someone i'd entrusted to keep an eye on it killed it.. along with a Bearded Iris collection i'd had at that time.  Biggest accomplishment.. ( and ultimate disappointment ) at that time was sprouting Manzanita seed, which isn't easy.. Got the biggest seedling to a 3gal size shortly before we moved to Kansas. Don't remember why, but lost it shortly after the move.. Wasn't happy.. but learned alot..