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Home / Tropical plants article / Identifying crown of thorns plant can be challenge
Identifying crown of thorns plant can be challengeSaturday, July 24, 2004By HARVEY COTTEN Times Gardening Columnist Dear Harvey : Do you know a plant whose common name is "crown of thorns"? I have seen branches of it both green and dried, but I know it also has a blossom. The branches have sharp thorns, maybe 3 inches long and are very dramatic in a winter arrangement when dried. I recently heard it called "mock orange," but my plant catalog shows a different plant with that name. - Betty G. Dear Betty : I believe I can help you with your plant identification issue. You have given me enough clues to narrow the field, but it is the confusion surrounding common names that gives one pause. When you search the literature for "Crown of Thorns" you generally find a tropical plant named Euphorbia mill ii var. splendens, a succulent that doesn't have sharp thorns. You found a similar problem when you checked a plant catalog for mock orange - you found a beautiful spring-flowering shrub named Philadelphus, again a shrub without thorns. However, there is another plant that has been called "Crown of Thorns," Trifoliate-orange or Hardy-orange named Poncirus trifoliate. This plant is distinguished by the glossy-green triangular stems that have one- to two-inch long, single spines with trifoliate leaflets. The plant can grow from 8 to 20 feet tall and can become almost an impenetrable thicket. The spines are quite sharp and can be dangerous for those walking near the plant. Poncirus belongs to the family Rutaceae, which includes the genus Citrus, or all of the lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit. It is the coldest hardy plant of the citrus group and does produce a small fruit, some say edible, others say not. The fruits are a small, yellow, 1 to 2 inches, round berry full of seeds, ripening in September or October. The taste is very sour and one can find very little pulp to eat. Probably the best way to eat the fruit is to make marmalade so you can use the entire berry. So, why we do say it is a hardy orange tree for our area in North Alabama, it is not going to displace the taste of a sweet Florida orange by any stretch. However, it has been used as a dwarfing rootstock and since it is more cold hardy, has allowed some citrus to be grown farther north than before. It is an easy-to-grow plant, more often grown as a novelty for the spiny stems. It is effective in dried arrangements and will blend well with other succulents like yucca and sedum. It can grow in most soils, in full sun and can be drought tolerant. The plant was introduced into the United States in the 1830s from its native habitat of China and Korea. I hope this helps with your question - one thing it does point out is often the confusion around common names. Unfortunately, there may be many common names for a plant but there is only one scientific name for each selection. Things to do in the garden: Mealy bugs, whiteflies and leafhoppers are everywhere it seems. Try soap sprays or NEEM oil first to see if you can control. Harvest hydrangea blooms just as they begin to change colors for drying. E-mail Harvey Cotten at harveyc@htimes.com, or write to Harvey Cotten c/o The Huntsville Times, P.O. Box 1487 West Station, Huntsville 35807. From : http://www.al.com/hg/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/living/1090660648161901.xml 2004-08-06 15:28:31
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Tropical plants by Categories
Palm and Cycad l Palm Seedling l Euphorbia Millii (Crown of thorns plant) l Big & Small Flowers Euphorbia Millii
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