African Milk Tree
Euphorbia trigona
Through the year 🗓️
☀️ Summer now
Its growth surge: expect inches of new height, and water thoroughly when fully dry.
🍂 Fall
Taper watering and stop feeding as growth slows for the year.
❄️ Winter
Water roughly monthly, keep above 55 °F and away from cold windows. Chilled wet roots rot fast.
🌱 Spring
Repot fast-outgrowing plants into a heavier pot and restart monthly feeding.
The details
Light & placement
- Light
- Bright light with some direct sun; acclimate gradually to full sun to avoid scorch
- Ideal PPFD
- 300–600 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹
- Grow-light distance
- 12–18 in below LED
Water & feed
- Watering method
- Soak-and-dry: water deeply, drain fully, then let the soil dry out completely. A tall, top-heavy plant in wet soil is a rot (and tip-over) waiting to happen.
- Fertilizer
- Cactus/succulent feed at ½ strength, monthly in spring–summer; none in winter.
Home & habit
- Soil
- Fast-draining cactus/succulent mix in a heavy pot; pH 6.0–7.0
- Humidity
- Low (30–50%)
- Temperature
- 65–85 °F; keep above 55 °F
- Mature size
- 4–8 ft indoors
- Repotting
- Every 2–3 yrs into a heavy, stable pot
- Propagation
- Arm cuttings: sever with a clean blade, rinse the sap, callus 1–2 wks, then pot in dry mix. Gloves and eye protection.
When something looks wrong
- Overwatering signs
- Yellowing, mushy stems; corky brown patches; sudden collapse at the base
- Underwatering signs
- Wrinkled, ribbed stems; small leaves dropping early
- Common pests
- Mealybugs, spider mites, scale
Common problems 🩺
The usual suspects when African Milk Tree looks unhappy. Most houseplant trouble is watering or light, not disease — see all plant problems if you are not sure which plant is the culprit.
Soft, yellowing base
Likely cause
Overwatering — the fastest way to lose one.
What to do
Let the soil dry out completely, use cactus mix, and water sparingly, especially in winter.
Dropping all its small leaves
Likely cause
Normal in winter, or a response to cold and less light.
What to do
No action needed. Keep it warm and dry-ish; leaves return in spring.
Thin, pale new growth at the top
Likely cause
Not enough light.
What to do
Bright light with some direct sun, acclimating gradually to avoid scorching.
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