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Euphorbia abyssinica
Euphorbiaceae FAMILY

Euphorbia abyssinica

Euphorbia abyssinica

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although we have seen no specific information for this plant, the latex in most, if not all Euphorbias is caustic and toxic - skin contact often causing irritation and blistering; contact with the eyes causing temporary or even permanent blindness; whilst ingestion can cause purging or more severe problems[PFAF].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
Growth—

A plant of drier places in the tropics, where it can be found at elevations from 840 - 2,400 metres[1]. Plants cannot tolerate frosts[1]. Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[1].

Propagation

Seed - Cuttings root easily. They need to be stored in light shade for a few days to dry before being planted, or else they will rot. It is best to plant the cuttings when the rain is about to stop, in a well-drained soil[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Euphorbia+abyssinica>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Desert Tropicals — http://www.desert-tropicals.com/ ↩︎The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
  2. [2]Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. — http://www.prota.org ↩︎An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
  3. [3]African Flowering Plants Database — Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. · http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php ↩︎Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
  4. [4]Flora of Somalia — Thulin M. (Editor) · Kew Publishing, London. · 1993 ↩︎Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
  5. [5]Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. — Lovett J.C.; Ruffo C.K.; Gereau R.E.; Taplin J.R.D · Frontier · http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/introduction.htm · ISBN 1-873070-33-0 ↩︎A lovely little book giving a basic identification guide to more than 650 species of trees growing in Tanzania. It is also available to view on the internet.
  6. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎