Crown of Thorns, Tough Color for Sun and Heat, Planted for You
Heat, drought and poor soil barely slow crown of thorns, a spiny succulent shrub that blooms nearly year-round in red, pink or yellow in Southwest Florida. It takes full sun, which makes it a good low-water border or container plant. It is also poisonous, and the sap can blister skin, so pick its spot with pets and kids in mind.
- Light:
- Full sun to light shade
- Water:
- Low; drought tolerant, rots in soggy soil
- Salt:
- Moderate to high
Crown of Thorns sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Crown of Thorns | 3 Gallon |
Crown of Thorns in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 3 to 4 ft tall and about as wide; some forms reach 6 ft
- Light
- Full sun to light shade
- Water
- Low; drought tolerant, rots in soggy soil
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate to high
- Cold tolerance
- Damage below about 35°F; leaves drop in cool snaps and frost can kill stems
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart for a border or barrier
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Euphorbia milii
Where Crown of Thorns works in a SW Florida yard
Use crown of thorns where you want color without watering: a sunny border along a driveway, a gravel bed, or pots on a hot patio. The thorns make it a decent low barrier along a fence or under a window.
It looks good with aloe, agave and bulbine. Keep it out of walkways and play areas, since the spines and sap are hard on bare skin.
- Low-water borders
- Containers and pots
- Sunny rock gardens
- Thorny barrier planting
How our crew plants it
Wear heavy gloves and eye protection. Dig only as wide as the container and no deeper than the root ball, set it slightly above grade on a sunny mound, and backfill with sandy native soil.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart for a border. Skip the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings, since soggy roots rot this plant.
Care after planting
- Water only when the soil is dry a few inches down, and skip irrigation on the bed in rainy season.
- Wear gloves and eye protection to prune, cut stems at a joint, and rinse sap off skin right away.
- Give it six or more hours of sun, or it gets leggy and stops flowering.
- Cover or move pots on cold nights; frost damage shows as blackened, mushy stems.
- A light spring feeding is plenty, and nitrogen and phosphorus are banned June 1 to September 30 anyway.
What to watch for
- All parts are poisonous, and the milky sap can blister skin and burn eyes, so keep dogs, cats and kids from chewing or handling it.
- Root rot from soggy soil, plus mealybugs and scale, are the common problems.
Crown of Thorns questions we hear
Is crown of thorns poisonous to dogs and cats?+
Yes. The milky sap is toxic and can cause mouth and stomach irritation if a pet chews the plant, and it can blister skin and burn eyes on contact. Plant it where pets cannot reach, wear gloves and eye protection when pruning, and call a vet if a pet chews it.
Does crown of thorns bloom all year in Florida?+
Nearly. It blooms most of the year in warm weather and slows down or pauses in cool winter weather. It needs full sun, and a few hours of shade means fewer flowers. Too much water also cuts flowering.
Can I plant crown of thorns in the ground in Southwest Florida?+
Yes, in a sunny, well-drained spot or on a mound. It handles heat, drought and salt well. Cold is the risk, since stems can freeze below the mid 30s, so cover it on frost nights or grow it in a pot you can move. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart for a border.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Crown of Thorns
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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