Euphorbia capsaintmariensis

Description: Euphorbia cap-saintemariensis (a.k.a. as Euphorbia capsaintemariensis) is an attractive miniature Madagascan species that produces many horizontal silver grey branches coming from a basal caudex. The branches carry deep emerald green leaves with undulate edges and cup-shaped pink-green flowers.
Similar species: The erect cyathia and the more long and wide leaves distinguishes it from the similar Euphorbia decaryi. Furthermore Euphorbia decaryi has thicker dull maroon-green leaves. Euphorbia cap-saintemariensis flowers freely like Euphorbia francoisii.
Habit: It has a branching and low spreading or prostrate habit; remains a single specimen and does not spread via underground stems and has a wind swept look.Cultivation and Propagation: Euphorbia capsaintemariensis is a very unusual plant and one of those that turn out to be difficult if treated as a difficult plant and kept too dry. They are indeed easy to cultivate and quite effective in a small bonsai pot.
Growth rate: It forms a dense mat of tangled stems creating a very nice specimen in just a few years.
Growing medium: Use a very draining loose compost which mainly consists of non organic material such us clay, pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or leaf-mould, and place the plant in a wide flat bowl.
Repotting: Re-pot every 2-4 years. If the plant remains dormant after repotting, you can rouse it with a shock (first you have to wait about two weeks after repotting to let all wounds heal.) Water it with hot water (40 to 50°C). Healthy plants usually react within 2 to 7 days.
Fertilization: Need a perfect fertilizer diet in summer. Use preferably a cacti and succulents fertilizer with high potassium content including all micro nutrients and trace elements or slow release fertilizer.
Watering: In the heat of summer the plant needs a good amount of water. Even in winter its soil should never completely dry out. Though it tolerates a dry over-wintering, it then gets in trouble in spring when it has to produce new roots. Care must be given in watering, keeping them warm and wet while growing, and cooler and dry when dormant. While young seedlings can be pushed with more water to accelerate growth, at some point of maturity watering must be reduced or it will suffer from root loss or collapse from rot.