Euphorbia abdelkuri: Care and Propagation Guide

Euphorbia abdelkuri is a succulent that is native to Abd al Kuri, which is an island in the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen. These succulents grow in rocky areas.

It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family and the sub-family of the Euphorbioideae. The scientific name of this succulent is Euphorbia abdelkuri Balf.f. The appearance of this succulent is quite different from many others.

It has no spine and is columnar in shape, with stems that are cylindrical. The color of Euphorbia abdelkuri ranges from ash-gray to greenish-gray.

When fully mature, they can reach a height of 6 feet and can form 5 feet of clumps. It has yellowish nectar glands and somewhat looks like a gray candle with melted wax on top of it.

Check this out:
200 Types of Euphorbia With Pictures

Euphorbia abdelkuri Care Guide

Here’s a look at the Euphorbia abdelkuri care and propagation guide.

Light

Euphorbia abdelkuri needs full sun, which means they need to get direct sunlight for at least six hours on a daily basis. They might need protection from the afternoon sun depending on how strong the sun in your region is.

You can identify this by looking for burns or yellow coloring when exposed to too much sun. But typically, they grow well when planted outdoors in a sunny spot.

If you plan to grow this plant indoors, you must place it near a window that gets lots of sunlight. People who take this route like to pick south-facing windows for this reason. That way the plant will get sunlight all day long. Alternatively, invest in a good grow light for succulents that can replace natural sunlight.

Watering

Euphorbia abdelkuri grows actively from spring to the fall season and that is when it should get the right amount of water. The right amount in this case is just making sure that the top two inches of soil are never dry.

So, if you spot them in that condition you should water the plant. That usually happens once a week because Euphorbia abdelkuri are pretty great about tolerating drought. That is because Euphorbia abdelkuri are native to regions that are described as semi-arid and rocky.

Sometimes the soil dries up to the point that it starts to feel crispy. Ideally, you should not let it get there. Your worst-case scenario should still get the plant watered once every month.

The best time to water Euphorbia abdelkuri is in the morning so that they have enough ammo to deal with the sun during the day. But in the winter season, you must change tactics and water the plant only when it looks like it is starting to wilt.

Read also: How often to water succulents?

Soil

Euphorbia abdelkuri is a type of succulent which means they don’t need too much water. But that also means that they need well-drained soil as succulents do.

You can mix it with sand and add a little bit of perlite to the mix. If you add perlite, make sure that your potting soil and regular sand are mixed 50-50. Failing that, any commercial succulent potting mix will also get the job done. (We review the best soil for succulents in pots here.)

Fertilizing

Depending on the species, you will need to follow separate feeding techniques. But generally speaking, a little bit of fertilizing is good for Euphorbia abdelkuri. You can add a little bit of organic fertilizer or compost to a young plant so that it grows healthily.

But you want to make sure that the fertilizer you are using is in liquid form and diluted a little to weaken it. You must also make sure that the fertilizer must be added to the plant in its growth period between spring and fall. In the winter, the plant is dormant and does not need to be fed as much.

Check out our article on the best fertilizer for succulents to help you choose the right one.

If your Euphorbia abdelkuri is in a container, you will have to feed it some more fertilizer compared to the ones that are being grown out in the ground. And if you notice yellow leaves developing at the bottom, that’s a sign that you need to feed the plant some fertilizer.

Climate

Euphorbia abdelkuri is fairly easy to grow and maintain. That applies to the climate it is grown in too. You will need to ensure that the air is at least 50 per cent humid throughout the year. If you are growing it indoors, you will be relieved to know that it grows okay in dry rooms too.

If you are looking for its best-case scenario, the temperature must be 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Pests and Diseases

Not many animals bother Euphorbia abdelkuri thanks to the sap and the spines. But that does not discourage spider mites and mealybugs. They are the most common pest to attack these plants. And if it’s not taken care of right away, the attack turns into an infestation very quickly.

Propagating Euphorbia abdelkuri

These plants can be propagated in two ways: seeds and stem cuttings.

It is difficult for the seeds to germinate quickly which is why this is the tougher
method of the two. But if you take this route, you can get commercial sand mix and
mix it in the same amount with coarse sand and plant the seeds in it. If there is
enough warmth, you will see growth in a couple of weeks. Otherwise, it can take 2-6
months.