Euphorbia abyssinica J.F.Gmel.
Desert candle, candelabra spurge
Desert candle is native to Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea. It is not found in the wild in North America, though it is grown as a house plant. It is a euphorbia, not a true cactus, though it evolved to look very much like a cactus. These, and all succulent euphorbias, are endangered species in their natural habitats.
Plants: Plants reach up to 33′ (10 m) tall, making it more tree than shrub. Erect branches grow singly, or form a candlabra-like basal rosette. A central stem becomes woody as it supports the weight of new erect branches. Branches are cactus-like water-storing succulent shiny green segments, 3 to 8 to a branch. Branches are up to 4½″ (12 cm) thick, and five- to eight-angled. Small stiff pairs of spines line the raised branch edges. (This pairing is a property of euphorbias, but not cacti.)
Leaves: The leaves are green, oblanceolate, up to 1¾″ (5 cm) long. They form on new growth, but fall off during the dry season (“drought deciduous”). The leaves aren’t needed, because the branches are also photosynthetic, and dropping the leaves conserves water.
Flowers: Male flowers have a single stamen. Female flowers have a stalked pistil and branched stigmas. Flowers are supported by tiny cup-shaped structures called cyathia, found only on euphorbias. Though the flowers have no petals, bright yellow bracts—modified leaves—look like petals.
Fruits: Capsules up to ¾″ (2 cm) long have three segments. When they dry, they explode, scattering seeds.
Habitats: Hillsides, montane woodland, and scrubby savannahs.
Online References:
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland 
12/25/2024 · Lisa's, Townsend, Massachusetts 
3/12/2025 · Tom and Susan’s, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.6 cm) 
3/2/2025 · Tom and Susan’s, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (12 × 8.1 cm) 
3/10/2025 · Tom and Susan’s, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 3″ (8.8 × 8.5 cm) 
12/26/2023 · Lisa's, Townsend, Massachusetts 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Malpighiales | A broad group encompassing 16,000 species |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | Euphorbia or spurge family |
| Genus | Euphorbia | An extremely diverse-looking genus of mostly tropical and subtropical succulent plants. For Euphorbus, corpulent Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania. Literally, “euphorbia” means “well-fed” |
| Species | abyssinica | Abyssinian, native to Ethiopia |
Euphorbia abyssinica description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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