The Crown of Thorns Is A Beautiful Yet Exotic Looking Plant

Exotic Plants Home Page:

The crown of thorns plant is a cousin to the poinsettia and is also known as the Christ Plant or the Christ Thorn. This plant is covered with spines and will climb if put near a trellis or something to which it can affix itself. They may grow to 6 feet tall.

There are several colors of blooms, red, yellow, salmon, pink, yellow and white. The red is the most popular and this plant will bloom continuously with very little care. As long as they are not subjected to cold temperatures, the Crown of Thorns will provide a great plant for your garden.

Although the flowers are small the leaves underneath the flowers are what make this a showy plant. One of the reasons this plant is so popular especially in southern climates is the lack of care it requires.

It can tolerate very warm temperatures and does not require a lot of water. The plant is originally from Madagascar. It is quite popular for growing in containers. For this reason it makes a great indoor plant as long as it is placed where it receives plenty of sun.

One thing to watch for on the plant is a sap that is released from the plant anywhere it is cut. This is sticky white latex and can cause inflammation, redness and itching on those who are prone to skin problems. This is also another reason this plant should not be grown anywhere close to a fish pond.

The leaves on this plant are sort of round and grow to 2 inches in length. The stems have thorns and they are painful if you do not pay attention when handling this plant. The flowers come on the plant in twos and they do not have a fragrance.

A perfect plant for the extreme southern regions of the U.S. due to the tolerance for the sun, heat and spray from salt in the air, the plant is being chosen as a type of collector's item.

The name, Crown of Thorns is associated with the crown which was placed on the head of Christ when he was crucified. This could be a possibility because it is known the plant had already been brought to the area many years before.

The plant is not prone to a lot of pests

The major one would be the mealy bug and an occasional aphid . Putting a liquid soap in one quart of water to use for this purpose should be sufficient to keep the bugs away.

Do remember when planting the Crown of Thorns, you must put it in dirt that is well drained. If not, the roots will have too much moisture and this will cause all the leaves to fall off and the plant to die. An attractive plant, the Crown of Thorns will brighten up your home or garden with its blooms which last for a very long time. _________________________________________________________________

Do You Have A Comment, Photo, Story Or Opinion About the Crown Of Thorns Plant?

Share it today with friends, family and other gardener around the world.

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...