Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Jerry's Choice
Jerry's Choice is a compact crown of thorns that shows red color from spring into fall. Tiny yellow flowers sit inside its bright red bracts. It stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, a good fit for patio pots, low planters and borders. Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, and let the soil dry between waterings.
Best for: Patio pots, low planters, borders and east-facing entryways with morning sun and afternoon shade.
At about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, it fits a patio pot. Use a mix that drains well and a pot with a drainage hole.
An east-facing entry or bed gives it morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun. That is where it does best in the Valley.
Use it in low planters, rock gardens and the front of a border. The red bracts show from spring into fall.
Full afternoon sun in the Valley is hard on it, and it takes only light frost. Sharp spines cover the stems, and the milky sap irritates skin and eyes.
- Border or mass planting2-3 ft apart, center to center
- Accent plants3 ft apart, center to center
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
First two weeks. In the Valley, water every 1 to 2 days in summer and every 3 to 4 days in the cooler months. Always water deeply, slow and long enough that moisture soaks down to the root zone, not just the surface.
After that, taper gradually. Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, or every 10 to 14 days in the cooler months, by week 8. Higher and cooler areas water less often. See how to water new plants for your area and plant type.
Read the soil, not a schedule. Push a long screwdriver into the soil about an hour after watering. It slides easily through wet soil and stops at dry soil. Once a plant is rooted, water again when it will not go in more than 3 to 4 inches.
Fertilizer. Most desert-adapted plants establish without heavy feeding. Too much fertilizer pushes soft, leggy growth.
How big does Jerry's Choice get?
It stays compact, about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, and it grows slowly. Buy the larger size if you want a full pot right away.
What color are the flowers?
The color comes from bright red bracts. Each pair of bracts holds a tiny yellow flower in the center.
When does Jerry's Choice bloom?
From spring into fall, with color through the warm months. Crown of thorns blooms most heavily in spring and fall.
Does crown of thorns need full sun in Phoenix?
No. In the Valley it does best with morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. An east-facing spot works well.
How often should I water it?
Let the soil dry between waterings. Give it water more often in summer. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
Why is my crown of thorns dropping leaves?
It can drop leaves in winter. Dry soil in summer can also cause leaf drop, so regular summer water helps it keep its leaves.
How cold can Jerry's Choice take?
It takes only light frost, to about 25 to 30°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on frost nights, not plastic.
Does it have thorns?
Yes. Sharp spines up to half an inch long cover the stems. Wear gloves when you plant or trim it.
Is the sap dangerous?
Yes. The milky sap irritates skin and is toxic if eaten. In the eyes it can cause temporary blindness. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection.
Is crown of thorns toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. Eating it can irritate the mouth and stomach and cause vomiting. Keep pets from chewing it.
Can I prune Jerry's Choice?
Yes. You can cut stems back to shape it. Wear gloves and eye protection, since sap flows from every cut.
How far apart should I plant Jerry's Choice?
Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center, for a border or mass planting. Give single accent plants about 3 feet.
Jerry's Choice for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Jerry's Choice is a compact variety of crown of thorns, a thorny succulent shrub from Madagascar. Tiny yellow flowers sit inside bright red bracts, and they keep coming from spring into fall. Below is what to expect on size, sun, water, cold and pots in a Valley yard.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Jerry's Choice crown of thorns in Phoenix
Jerry's Choice is a compact crown of thorns with bright red bracts. It stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Valley homeowners use it in patio pots, low planters and shaded borders.
Where to plant crown of thorns in the Valley
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. An east-facing bed or entry works well. Hot afternoon sun is hard on it here.
How big does Jerry's Choice get?
It stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide and grows slowly. That compact size makes it a good fit for pots and small spaces.
When does crown of thorns bloom in Arizona?
It blooms off and on through the year, most heavily in spring and fall. Jerry's Choice shows red color from spring into fall.
Watering crown of thorns in the Valley
Let the soil dry between waterings, and water more often in summer. Regular summer water helps it keep its leaves. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
How cold can crown of thorns get?
It takes only light frost, to about 25 to 30°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet draped to the ground. Take the cover off in the morning.
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