Scientific Name
Euphorbia obesa 'Cristata'
Accepted Scientific Name
Euphorbia obesa Hook.
Synonym(s)
Euphorbia obesa f. cristata
Common Name(s)
Crested Baseball Plant, Crested Sea Urchin
Scientific Classification
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Euphorbioideae
Tribe: Euphorbieae
Subtribe: Euphorbiinae
Genus: Euphorbia
Description
Euphorbia obesa 'Cristata' is a fascinating succulent plant with strong, dark green, fan-shaped branches, forming a snaky ridge or crowded cluster.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
As Baseball Plant often grows in partial shade in its native habitat, place it on a windowsill where it receives sun for only part of the day, preferably during the morning. If you move the plant outdoors during the summer, adapt it to the increased light gradually and position it under the high shade of a tree or shrub, where it will receive direct sunlight only at times of the day when the sun is not directly overhead. If it begins to lose its plaid coloring, it needs more light.
Like most succulents, Baseball Plant will rot in soggy soil, so keep it in a clay pot filled with a potting mix intended for cacti and succulents. Use a pot with at least one drainage hole. If you don't have such a mix available, you can create your own.
From spring through fall, water the plant thoroughly about once a week until water runs from the pot's drainage holes. At each watering, add a liquid 10-10-10 plant food at one-quarter strength, which should be about two drops of the plant food in 1 quart of water. Stop fertilizing the plant during its dormant winter period, and allow its soil to dry out before you water it again.
Only repot the plant when its girth grows large enough to press against the edges of its current container. Handle the plant carefully, preferably wearing gloves, because the white sap it exudes when broken can irritate the skin.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Euphorbia.
Origin
This succulent is a rare form of Euphorbia obesa selected for its crested growth.
Links
- Back to genus Euphorbia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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