Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Madagascar
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Types
Euphorbia tithymaloides tithymaloides, Euphorbia tithymaloides angustifolia
-
Number of Varieties
8-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-135-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 13, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Orange, Pink, Magenta
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Burgundy
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut out old flower stalks, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, N-P-K balanced liquid fertilizer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Army-worms, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cucumber mosaic, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
Carcinogenic, Diarrhea, Skin irritation, Toxic
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Skin Problems
Glowing Skin, Moisturizing, Nourishes scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Emetic, Inflammation, Intestinal worms
Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Jaundice, Laxative, Leprosy, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
Euphorbia tithymaloides
Trichosanthes cucumerina
Common Name
Devil's Backbone
snake gourd, serpent gourd, chichinda, padwal
In Hindi
Devil's Backbone
चिचिण्डा
In German
Devil's Backbone
Schlangenhaargurke
In French
Backbone du Diable
Trichosanthes cucumerina
In Spanish
El espinazo del diablo
snake gourd
In Greek
Devil's Backbone
φίδι κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
Espinha do Diabo
snake gourd
In Polish
Kręgosłup diabła
Gurdlina ogórkowata
In Latin
Narum diaboli
snake gourd
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Cucurbitales
Family
Crassulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Coccinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Euphorbieae
-
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
200027
1
27800
👆🏻