Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) is a type of succulent plant, and it is very common around us.

Crown of Thorns: also known as Christ thorn, it is a sprawling shrub plant. The stem is much branched, 60-100 cm long, 5-10 mm in diameter, with longitudinal ridges, densely covered with hard and sharp conical spines, the spines 1-1.5 cm long, 0.5-1.0 mm in diameter, often arranged in 3-5 rows on the ridge crests, in a spiral. Leaves alternate, usually concentrated on young branches, obovate or oblong-spatulate, entire. Inflorescences 2 or 8 forming dichasial compound inflorescences, borne in the leaf axils of the upper part of the branches; the base of the peduncle has 1 membranous bract, 2 bracteoles, reniform-round, the involucre bell-shaped, with 5 lobes at the margin, yellow-red. Several male flowers, 1 female flower, often enclosed within the involucre. The capsule is trigonous-ovoid, the seed is ovoid-columnar, about 2 mm in diameter, grayish brown. Flowering and fruiting period throughout the year. Native to Madagascar, Africa, widely cultivated in the tropics and temperate zones of the Old World; cultivated in both northern and southern China, commonly seen in parks, botanical gardens and courtyards.

Crown of Thorns is a sprawling shrub plant. The stem is much branched, 60-100 cm long, 5-10 mm in diameter, with longitudinal ridges, densely covered with hard and sharp conical spines, the spines 1-1.5 (2.0) cm long, 0.5-1.0 mm in diameter, often arranged in 3-5 rows on the ridge crests, in a spiral. Leaves alternate, usually concentrated on young branches, obovate or oblong-spatulate, 1.5-5.0 cm long, 0.8-1.8 cm wide, apex rounded, with a small mucro, base gradually narrowed, entire; sessile or nearly sessile; stipules subulate, 3-4 mm long, very slender, early deciduous. Inflorescences 2, 4 or 8 forming dichasial compound inflorescences, borne in the leaf axils of the upper part of the branches; the compound inflorescence has a peduncle, 4-7 cm long; the base of each inflorescence has a peduncle 6-10 mm long, the base of the peduncle has 1 membranous bract, 1-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, the upper part nearly truncate, the margin with tiny red mucros

2 bracteoles, reniform-round, 8-10 mm long, 12-14 mm wide, apex rounded and with a small mucro, its base gradually narrowed, sessile, bright red above, pale red below, closely appressed to the inflorescence; the involucre bell-shaped, 3-4 mm high, 3.5-4.0 mm in diameter, with 5 lobes at the margin, the lobes fiddle-shaped, the upper part with fringed long hairs, and incurved; 5 glands, reniform-round, about 1 mm long, about 2 mm wide, yellow-red. Several male flowers; bracts filiform, apex with soft hairs; 1 female flower, often not extending beyond the involucre; ovary smooth and hairless, often enclosed within the involucre; styles 3, united below the middle; stigma 2-lobed. The capsule is trigonous-ovoid, about 3.5 mm long, about 4 mm in diameter, smooth and hairless, splitting into 3 mericarps when mature. The seed is ovoid-columnar, about 2.5 mm long, about 2 mm in diameter, grayish brown, with tiny wart-like dots; without a caruncle. Flowering and fruiting period throughout the year.

The cutting medium is the nutrient soil, river sand, peat soil and other materials used for cuttings. For home cuttings, it is difficult to obtain an ideal cutting medium due to limited conditions. It is recommended to use a ready-prepared and sterilized cutting medium; medium-coarse river sand can also be used, but it should be rinsed several times with clean water before use. Do not use sea sand or river sand from saline-alkali areas; they are not suitable for the growth of flowers and plants. Crown of Thorns is mainly propagated by cuttings. Cuttings can be taken throughout the entire growing period, but May-June is the best time, with a high survival rate, and Crown of Thorns is the easiest to root from cuttings. Choose thick and sturdy branches, about 10 cm to 15 cm long (they must have 3-4 leaf nodes), wipe dry the white sap flowing from the cut, apply plant ash, air-dry in a shady place for 2 to 3 days, and after the wound is dry, insert into plain sand, water thoroughly, then water sparingly afterward, watering again when the potting soil is slightly dry; after about 50 days to 60 days it can take root.