How to Grow African Milk Tree
Euphorbia trigona
African Milk Tree is a striking columnar succulent that can grow over a metre tall indoors with minimal care. It thrives in bright indirect light, needs watering only when the soil is fully dry, and tolerates neglect better than overattention. The main caution is its toxic milky sap, so always wear gloves when pruning or repotting. Provide a heavy or weighted pot for stability as it grows tall.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Feed monthly with a diluted cactus or succulent fertiliser from spring through summer. Stop feeding entirely in autumn and winter when growth slows.
Watch For
- Mealybugs in stem crevices
- Root rot from overwatering
- Leaf drop from cold temperatures or draughts
- Etiolation from insufficient light
- Toxic milky sap irritates skin and eyes
Pet Safety
Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light
Needs bright light to maintain upright, compact growth. Tolerates some direct morning sun but avoid intense afternoon sun. Insufficient light causes etiolation.
Watering
Infrequent, let soil dry fully
Water only when the soil is completely dry. In winter, reduce to once a month or less. Overwatering is the most common cause of death via root rot.
Fertilizing
Monthly cactus feed in growing season
Feed monthly with a diluted cactus or succulent fertiliser from spring through summer. Stop feeding entirely in autumn and winter when growth slows.
Pruning
Cut back tall stems in spring
Cut back overly tall stems in spring to encourage branching. Wear gloves and eye protection as the toxic milky sap is a skin and eye irritant. Let cut surfaces dry before watering.
