Euphorbia milii (Crown of thorns)

Euphorbia milii Des Moul.

Crown of thorns

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
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	milii	Named for Baron Milius, once governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France

About plant names...

The crown of thorns looks more like a rose bush on steroids than a cactus-like euphorbia, but a euphorbia it is. This red-flowering native of Madagascar is not found in the wild in North America (although it may be becoming naturalized in Florida). Cultivars of this plant are popular as house plants, with flowers (really modified leaves) that are pink, yellow, white, and orange, as well as red.

Identification: This climbing shrub grows to 6' (1.8 m) tall, spewing densely spine-covered branches in every direction. The randomly curving branches are in search of other plants, which the shrub uses to support itself as it grows. Branches are dark and woody, not the green cactus-like color of many euphorbias. Flowers (actually bracts) are scarlet red.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones All euphorbias can cause dermatitis and are poisonous when ingested.