Scarlet Plume – Euphorbia fulgens

Common Name: Scarlet Plume

Botanical Name: Euphorbia fulgens, you-FOR-bee-a FUL-jens

Decorative Life: About 7 days.

Flower Color: Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Availability: Fall, Winter

Cultivar selection can be important as leaf yellowing differences can vary greatly.

• Member of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family.
• Native to Mexico.
• Related species include poinsettia, crown-of-thorns.

• Flowers 1/2 inch long, occur along stem in drooping, wand-like sprays up to 1 foot long.
• Stems drooping, 2-3 feet long.
• Plant is a perennial shrub, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.
• Flowers are not fragrant.

Holding this species even for short period of times at 50F or lower can be damaging. Therefore, it is chill sensitive.

• Named after Euphorbus, the physician to the king of Mauritania, Juba.
• Colored parts of flowers are not petals, but are actually bracts. The specific epithet name fulgens means shining.
• In addition to the many ornamental species in this family, others yield rubber, edible fruits and roots and have valuable medicinal properties.
• As with other Euphorbia, this species contains a white latex type material that is exuded when plant parts are broken.
• Many Euphorbia species have been shown to cause dermatitis related problems with some individuals but the precise potential reactions (if any) from this species have not been located to date in the literature.