Robusta e bellissima Euphorbia a candelabro proveniente dallo Yemen e dall'Arabia Saudita. I margini delle costolature sono ornati da spine appaiate di colore bruno di aspetto simile a corna di mucca.

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Accepted scientific name:  Euphorbia ammak Schweinfurth.
Bull. Herb. Boissier 7 (App. 2):319, 1899
Common English Names include:  Candelabra Spurge.

Origin: Yemen, Saudi Arabia peninsula.

Habitat: Rockier areas in planes and in steep hillsides, thorny bush-lands.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Euphorbia ammak
This is a very showy tree-like plant from Yemen and Saudi Arabia which grows arms over time.
Plant edges are ridged with short, brown, cow-horn spines.

Description: Euphorbia ammak is a striking Euphorbia of massive stature that resembles to E. candelabra but It branches but not profusely. It is a typical representative of large, tree-like Euphorbias that can grow up to 10 m tall with a short trunk, it is superficially similar to some new world Cacti. The upright broadly obconical crown of this plant make it looks like a a branched  candelabra.
Stem: Erect, stout, 10-15 cm wide. The branches starting about 60 cm and arches upward.
Ribs: Thick, undulate, usually four-winged, dark-green, with situate teeth 1 cm apart.
Spines: Up to one cm long. Brown, paired, horn shaped, obtriangular, and quite separate.
Leaves: In the right climate (wet and warm at the same time) it will produce simple lancelote leaves near the top of each branch. These leaves are much larger and more prominent in the green form than in the variegated/yellow forms. On the seedling they are up to 40 mm long and 7 mm wide, but in the young shoots they are smaller.
Flowers: Solitary subsessile cymnes above the pair of spines, yellow-green, approx 1 cm in diameter, fleshy, with 5 glands. Female flowers carry a three part pistil over a three part ovary, producing three or sometimes more seeds.
Fruit: Green, 2-3 loculed, 3 mm in diameter smooth.

NOTE: There is a commonly cultivated variegated version called (in the U.S.A.) Euphorbia Ammak “variegata” , but this plant is more properly an Euphorbia candelabrum erythreae variegata. which has a cream-yellow and pale blue-green marbled appearance with dark, brown spines.

Cultivation: It is an easy species to grow that is suited for any well drained soil in full sun. But young plant are happy growing indoors, where they can easily reach the ceiling. Give the plant an airy growing medium which mainly consists of non organic material such us clay, pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or leaf-mould. Water regularly during the active growing season from March to September. No water should ever be allowed to stand around the roots. Keep almost completely dry in winter. It is a moderately fast grower, and will quickly become large landscape masterpieces in just 3-5 years. Only downside is from strong winds, the columns often smash into each other, causing permanent scarring... best to plant in such a location where winds are not a big issue. If plant becomes very red, this is a sign that the roots have not developed properly. It is a relatively fast growing and long lived plant and once established, it will be content in its position and with its soil for years. It can tolerate moderate shade, and a plant that has been growing in shade should be slowly hardened off before placing it in full sun as the plant will be severely scorched if moved too suddenly from shade into sun. Like quite small pots, repott in very later winter, early spring. Can be pruned for shape and branching. Frost tender, frost free zones only.

Propagation:  It is easy to propagate by cuttings in late siring to summer,  just take a cutting of the plant let it dry for 1 or 2 weeks and stuff it in the ground (preferably dry, loose, extremely well draining soil).