Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Shrub
Origin
Europe, Asia
Madagascar
Types
-
Euphorbia tithymaloides tithymaloides, Euphorbia tithymaloides angustifolia
Number of Varieties
708
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Grassland
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-89-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8 - 5
-
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 13, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
40.60 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Purple, Orange, Pink, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan
Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to control growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Requires high amount of nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma, conjunctivitis, Rhinitis
Carcinogenic, Diarrhea, Skin irritation, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for insects, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Emetic, Inflammation, Intestinal worms
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
cultivated as pasture or hay crop, Food for animals, Food for insects
Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Groundcover, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOPECURUS pratensis
Euphorbia tithymaloides
Common Name
Meadow Foxtail
Devil's Backbone
In Hindi
Meadow Foxtail
Devil's Backbone
In German
Wiesenfuchsschwanz
Devil's Backbone
In French
vulpin des prés
Backbone du Diable
In Spanish
pradera de cola de zorra
El espinazo del diablo
In Greek
Meadow Foxtail
Devil's Backbone
In Portuguese
Meadow Foxtail
Espinha do Diabo
In Polish
łąka ber
Kręgosłup diabła
In Latin
meadow Foxtail
Narum diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Malpighiales
Family
Poaceae
Crassulaceae
Genus
Alopecurus
Euphorbia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Euphorbieae
Subfamily
-
Euphorbioideae
Number of Species
32000
1
27800
👆🏻