Euphorbia virosa
Euphorbia virosa
Euphorbia virosa, the Gifboom or poison tree, is a plant of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It has a short main stem, usually twisted, from which 5–10 cm branches emerge. These leafless branches have 5 to 8 edges. Paired thorns grow in regularly spaced intervals from the edges. Euphorbia virosa is commonly distributed from the Orange River in South Africa to Southern Angola, and occurs throughout the Namib Desert, mainly on rocky slopes. The plant contains within the branches a milky and creamy substance with carcinogenic properties. This substance is very poisonous and is used by San (Bushme
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Gallery
Euphorbia virosa 2 iesEuphorbia-virosa
Euphorbia virosa var. virosa (50151952636)
Euphorbia virosa -1291 - Flickr - Ragnhild & Neil Crawford
Euphorbia virosa (habitus)
Euphorbia virosa 1 iesEuphorbia virosa 2 iesEuphorbia-virosaOverview
Euphorbia virosa is commonly distributed from the Orange River in South Africa to Southern Angola, and occurs throughout the Namib Desert, mainly on rocky slopes. The plant contains within the branches a milky and creamy substance with carcinogenic properties. This substance is very poisonous and is used by San (Bushmen) to dip the tips of their hunting arrows. Contact with it causes skin irritation, and if the eyes are afflicted, blindness may occur.
Life cycle
From seed to productStem cutting
Propagated by **stem cuttings**: take 10–15 cm semi-hardwood cuttings with 2–3 nodes and insert them in moist sand or soil in shade.
Rooting
Cuttings root within 2–4 weeks and new shoots break from the nodes.
Growth & flowering
The plant blooms with **yellow-green cyathia, summer**; pollination is by insects and wind.
Maturity & harvest
The plant matures and blooms profusely in season; **cuttings taken after flowering and left to dry**.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Namibia79%
- South Africa14%
- Angola5%
- Belgium1%
- China1%
References
- 1Euphorbia virosa — Wikipedia — Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), 2026
- 2111 Roadside plants — Namibia Scientific Society, 2012
- 3''Euphorbia virosa'' — Wikipedia,
- 4''Euphorbia virosa'' — Wikipedia,
- 5GBIF — occurrence records of Euphorbia virosa — GBIF, 2026
- 6Hình ảnh — Wikimedia Commons (6 ảnh, giấy phép CC/PD) — Wikimedia Commons, 2026