![]() The root is known to be a powerful emetic. Intravenous fluids are often administered to counteract the fluid loss due to vomiting and diarrhea. #Zigzag plant benefits skinTopical steroids are indicated for skin or eye contact. If latex or juice gets in the eye, continuous rinsing with fresh water should be the first course of action. If latex or root juice gets on the skin, the victim should immediately wash with soap and warm water. Ingesting even a few seeds can cause violent and persistent vomiting and extreme diarrhea. If introduced topically to the eye, severe pain, keratoconjunctivitis, and reduced visual acuity occur. Topical application causes skin irritation, inflammation, and even blisters. When ingested, the irritation of the mucosal membranes of the stomach and intestines will cause nausea and vomiting. Įven minor amounts (a few drops) of the juice of the Euphorbia tithymaloides root can irritate mucosal membranes. The plant's leaves and stems also contain beta-sitosterol, cycloartenone, octacosanol, and oxime, all of which have known medicinal as well as toxic properties. These parts of the plant contain euphorbol (a complex terpene) and other diterpene esters. The roots, stems, and leaves of the plant are known to be toxic. Municipalities have planted Euphorbia tithymaloides in landfills, toxic waste sites, and along roadsides because it is one of the few plants which can thrive in these more difficult environments. Cabbage worms are particularly fond of the plant's leaves. Hummingbirds are attracted to the plant's flowers. Cuttings should be made in March – April or June – July, and from the middle or top of the main stem. Cuttings should be made above a joint, be 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) long, and planted in sandy, nutrient-rich soil and allowed to root before planting. ![]() Because of the plant's toxicity, gardeners are cautioned to wear goggles, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants. It is primarily used as an outdoor garden border plant, but certain varieties do well indoors. The first record of it growing in a garden was in Amsterdam. They showed that Euphorbia tithymaloides has reproduced and evolved in a ring through Central America and the Caribbean, meeting in the Virgin Islands where they appear to be morphologically and ecologically distinct.Įuphorbia tithymaloides was introduced as a garden plant prior to 1688. In 2012, Cacho and Baum described the first example of a ring species in plants. Subspecies are usually identifiable by their leaves, which come in several types such as laurel-like and variegated and which can be tinged with white or red. The plant generally flowers in mid-spring. The seed pod is about 7.5 mm (0.30 in) long and 9 mm (0.35 in) wide, and ovoid in shape (with truncated ends). The male pedicel is hairy, while the female is glabrous. ![]() The floral leaves are bifid (split in two parts) and ovate, while the involucral bracts are bright red, irregularly acuminate in shape (e.g., like a slipper), and about 1.1 to 1.3 mm (0.043 to 0.051 in) in length with a long, thin tube. The plant terminates in a dichotomous cyme, with a peduncle supporting each flower. The leaves are glabrous (smooth) and acuminate in shape, with entire (smooth) edges. Each leaf is sessile (attaching directly to the plant), and about 35 to 75 mm (1.4 to 3 in) in length. The leaf is a simple angiosperm leaf, arranged oppositely on the stem. The shrub can grow to 1.8 to 2.4 metres (6 to 8 ft) in height and generally is about 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) in width. The plant requires a sunny area to grow in. The plant tends to be taller and have more biomass if it is well-watered. It is relatively intolerant of high soil salinity levels, but exhibits saline tolerance if well fertilized. It prefers soil that is sandy, well-drained, and nutrient-rich, particularly with higher concentrations of boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. ![]() Distribution and description Įuphorbia tithymaloides is native to tropical and subtropical North America and Central America. ![]() In other parts of the world, it is known as gin-ryu (Japan) pokok lipan and penawar lipan (Indonesia) airi, baire, and agia "rang chita" (Bengal),(India) aperejo (Yoruba) sapatinho do diabo (Brazil) ítamo real (Cuba and Puerto Rico) pantoufle (France) and zapatilla del diablo (Mexico). Among them are redbird flower, devil's-backbone, redbird cactus, Jewbush, buck-thorn, cimora misha, Christmas candle, fiddle flower, ipecacuahana, Jacob's ladder, Japanese poinsettia, Jew's slipper, milk-hedge, myrtle-leaved spurge, Padus-leaved clipper plant, red slipper spurge, slipper flower, slipper plant, slipper spurge, timora misha, and zig-zag plant. Euphorbia tithymaloides has a large number of household names used by gardeners and the public. ![]()
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