Euphorbia poissonii
Euphorbia poissonii
Safety & Hazards
The latex is very caustic and toxic, and very irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. It can cause blindness when in contact with the eyes[1]. The latex is highly poisonous when added to food, drinking water and kola nuts, and in Nigeria homicides are sometimes committed through Euphorbia poissonii poisoning[1]. The latex is used as fish poison[1]. A piece of stem is mixed with the seeds of Strophanthus to prepare arrow poison[1]. He latex is also used in bait to kill rodents and birds[1].
Cultivation Details
Plants are intolerant of frost[2]. Prefers a position in light shade[2].
Propagation
Seed - Stem cuttings should be at least 20 cm long and preferably cut from the base of a branch where the cut surface is woody. After cutting they should be allowed to dry for at least 2 weeks for a callus to form on the cut end[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Euphorbia+poissonii>
Pollinators
Bees, Insects
References
- [1]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.
- [2]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.