We Don't Get Questions

Today's question comes from me. You didn't send it in, and neither did that other person reading this small corner of the blogosphere. So I emailed it to myself and then I replied to myself and then I posted it right here.

Q: Can you identify this plant for me? It's mostly green, with spines on all sides. It's about 4" across, but taller.

Thank you,
Peter

A: It's a Euphorbia trigona. As it grows, it can get up to 6" around, and will eventually be a 20' tall tree if planted in the ground, which we don't recommend here in the Bay Area.

If you do plant it in the ground in this area, you will need to protect the growing tips when it gets close to freezing. We recommend a styrofoam cup on the top of each branch.

A frost blanket will work too, but we recently created a tent out of one around a tall cactus in a pot, and then the 65mph winds came blowing through the area last week and the tent became more of a sail than a tent and the plant blew over. Luckily, we know enough to stay away from the nursery until wind storms are over, what with the spiny cactus and all.

Hope that helps,
Peter