Euphorbia tithymaloides subsp. smallii

Add a touch of green to your home/office in three simple steps and become a plant parent.

Plants,
simplified: Order plants ready to be placed in your home, office or
garden. Just Unpack, Relax and Enjoy your green buddies

Secure
Shipping: Our unique packaging will hold the plants in place and let the
plant breathe so that it reaches you fresh without any mess.

Detailed
Guidance: Get detailed plant care instructions from the website as well
as real-time guidance from our Garden Experts on Whatsapp.

1. After recieveing the plants open the box 📦 as soon as possible .

2. ⁠Air dry the plants for 2-3 hours on fresh air .

3. ⁠Plant in well drained soil . ( 30%sand + 30% soil + 20% vermicompost + 20% perlite ) .

4. ⁠Water plants after 2-3 days and don’t give direct sunlight to newly planted succulents for at least 10 days .

Note: Always water succulents when top layer of soil feels dry in roots of plant rather than leaves .

Plants without pots will be sent bare rooted. Free delievery above Rs 249 .

We have a 2-3 days return policy, which means you have 2-3 days after receiving your item to request a return or replacement.

Euphorbia tithymaloides subsp. smallii  (Devil's Backbone  |  Zigzag Plant  |  Jacob's Ladder  |  Redbird Cactus)

Product Description

Euphorbia tithymaloides subsp. Smallii is an unusual, succulent-like plant that is unusual in many ways as there are few other plants with a zig-zag effect that shows in the upright stems and the plant rises and weaves in a quite fluid dance. Most people will refer to it by its various names, either Devil's Backbone, Zigzag plant or Jacob's Ladder. If you thought it was a cactus, guess again; it's actually a Euphorbia-a widespread, highly diverse genus from tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and the Caribbean. This subspecies tends to be more compact than the species itself.

Brightly colored little green succulent leaves grow along the zigzag ridged stem. When the plant gets good light, leaves remain plentiful and the plant grows into a tall,bushy shrub. Well adapted for indoor cultivation in Indian climatic conditions, resistant to heat, prefers infrequent watering and perfect for Indian windows and plants that require full morning sunlight. Easy to care for drought resistant, heat tolerant plants - it would make an excellent addition for any beginner!

This species makes a perfect accent on a window sill, on a railing of a sunny balcony, or on a bright spot on a working desk. Its unique stem architecture is very attractive even when there are no blossoms on it, and a small variety can remain in a pot for a rather long period of time. Please be warned that, like any Euphorbia, this plant has toxic white milky sap which irritates eyes and skin and which one should treat with caution.

Key Features

• Unique Zig Zag growth - provides a naturally geometric and visually stunning appearance unlike any house plant you normally see
• Heat and Drought tolerant - perfect for the Indian climate and dry indoor conditions
• Compact subspecies is very suitable for a pot and will grow without spreading out much or too quickly over the years. 
• Small, chubby leaves develop on its ribbed stems and give the plant a dense appearance when it gets plenty of light.
• Can thrive well under the sunlight on the windowsill, the balcony, and warm balcony corners exposed to morning sun. 
• Affordable thanks to low maintenance: requires very little attention and will make you happy even as a beginner.
• Small non-floral looking formations (cyathia) appear on mature plants as a muted surprise of the season. 
• Weird enough to get notice but simple enough for care without any tools or gizmos needed

Care at a Glance

Product Specifications

What's in the Box

• 1 × Live Euphorbia tithymaloides subsp. smallii sapling — healthy, rooted plant
• 1 × Pot (Bare-rooted / Pot: Optional, as chosen at purchase)
• Basic care instruction card

Important Notes

• Latex Sap Precaution: Similar to otherEuphorbias, this plant produces a white Milky sap any time part (stem / leaf) of the plant suffers any wound. Latexsap causes much bad impact to the eyes and is badly irritating to the skin . Wash hands thoroughly once after touching any part of this plant. While repotingandpruninguse the gloves.
• It won’t be a cactus: this isn’t actually a cactus but a plant from the Euphorbia genus. These plants do have a higher need for watering than true desert cacti, and they actually enjoy warmer, humid conditions over very dry ones.
• Bright light: Insufficient light causes plants to lose leaves & grow leggy & tall – house plants need a bright spot in your home or a very sunny patio.
• Care and transit:  The zigzag leaves and stems are strong, but the leaves may fall from the stem when packaging for transit. Some leaf-fall upon arrival is normal as the plant will quickly establish with a brighter environment.
• Toxicity: If ingested, this plant will poison you (humans, cats and dogs), it also exudes irritants on your skin and eye, so handle with caution and keep them out of the way of those little hands and fuzzy friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Euphorbia tithymaloides plants the same as cacti?

A: Not at all. While it is technically in the Euphorbia genus within the Euphorbiaceae family. They actually have many similarities when considering what the two kinds of plants look like. Fleshy, they don't need very much water although they are not classification wise very same as the euphorbia, which sap is creamy in tone unlike that of the cactus' clear liquid based sap. They both benefit from moderate and frequent watering’s but the desert varieties in the Cactus genus prefer to go extremely dry between.

Q: How many times do I need to water the zigzag plant? 

A: Water your plant when the top two inches of soil feel dry to touch. During hot Indian summers this means 10-15 days for an individual. During cooler periods or with dimmer light conditions where the soil remains damp longer the frequency should be extended to 20 days or so. This plant can tolerate a little dryness as the leaves or stalks do not fall or wilter but over watering is a serious problem causing the roots to rot

Q: Is it okay to grow this plant indoors in India?

A: Yes, but it absolutely requires very bright direct/ indirect light (around 4 to 6 hours of this daily). It shouldn't be too far in a dark corner, in a room with limited light etc - otherwise the leaves start to fall off and stems grow out toward any bit of light you've got. If you have a windowsill with southern exposure you might do well even indoors for city environments in India, even west exposure is okay.

Q: My plant got in my skin - what to do?

A: Wash that part with water and soap straight away. Don't touch your face or eyes prior to washing your hands, after touching the latex sap. The milky sap of euphorbias can irritate the skin by direct contact and a localized red itching and even slight burn may appear. If you get the sap in your eyes,rinse with plenty of water and consult your doctor. Don’t neglect to wear gloves when pruning and repotting yourEuphorbia.

Q: My Devil’s Backbone is dropping leaves! Why?

A: Leaf drop in Devil’s Backbone typically is the result of three culprits: not enough light, overwatering, or a temperature shock resulting from recent transplanting or relocation. Start with where you place the plant. Move it if it is stuck in the shadows to more sunshine. If you tend to keep the soil constantly moist, let the soil dry out completely before watering next time. A little leaf drop after moving into a new environment is to be expected and temporary.