Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Ruby Red Trigona Euphorbia
Ruby Red Trigona Euphorbia is the red form of African milk tree, with green stems blended with red and maroon to purple leaves. The upright, three-sided stems grow in a tight cluster and look like a tall cactus. It grows fast to about 6 to 8 feet. Its color makes it a strong accent in a patio pot or a bright corner.
Best for: a colorful accent in a patio pot, a red contrast next to green succulents, and entries with filtered sun.
Its maroon to red leaves and red-edged stems stand out against green plants. Pair it with blue or green succulents for contrast.
It is prized as a container plant for patios. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a fast-draining mix, and shelter it on frost nights.
It grows straight up to about 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. That upright shape fits beside an entry or in a narrow bed.
It needs protection when nights drop below about 33°F. Soggy soil can rot it, and the milky sap irritates skin and eyes.
Let the soil dry thoroughly between waterings, then soak it. Water much less in winter, since soggy, cold soil can rot the roots.
In the Valley it does best in filtered sun or part shade. Keep it out of the hot western afternoon sun in summer.
It is not frost hardy. When nights drop below about 33°F, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic, or move a pot under cover.
Every cut or broken stem bleeds milky sap that irritates skin and eyes. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when you plant, move or trim it.
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.
What makes Ruby Red different from green trigona?
It is the same species with red-edged stems and maroon to red leaves. Size, water and frost care are the same as the green form.
How big does it get?
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Plan a pot or bed with room for that height.
How fast does it grow?
It is a fast grower in warm weather, so a young plant adds height quickly.
Does it need full sun or shade?
It grows in full sun to filtered sun. In the Valley, filtered sun or part shade with shelter from the hot afternoon sun is safest.
How often should I water it?
Let the soil dry between waterings, then soak it. Water much less in winter, since soggy soil can rot the roots.
How cold can it take?
It is not frost hardy. Cover it when nights drop below about 33°F, or move a potted plant under cover.
Is the sap dangerous?
Yes. The milky sap irritates skin and can badly injure an eye. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when you handle or cut it.
Is it toxic to pets?
Yes. It is toxic if chewed, and the sap irritates the mouth and stomach. Keep pets from chewing or breaking the stems.
Does it have spines?
Yes. Small spines grow in pairs along the edges of the stems, so handle it with gloves.
Ruby Red Trigona Euphorbia for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Ruby Red Trigona Euphorbia is the red form of Euphorbia trigona, the African milk tree. Below is what to expect on color, size, sun, water, frost and handling the sap 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.
Red African milk tree in Phoenix
Ruby Red Trigona grows well in the Valley in filtered to part sun. It is not frost hardy, so it is often grown in a patio pot.
Euphorbia trigona Rubra vs green
Both are the same species. Rubra has red-edged stems and maroon to red leaves, and the care is the same.
How tall does Ruby Red Trigona get?
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and it grows fast in warm weather.
Watering Euphorbia trigona Rubra
Let the soil dry between waterings and water much less in winter to keep the roots from rotting.
Is Ruby Red Trigona toxic?
Yes. The milky sap irritates skin and eyes and is toxic if eaten. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling it.
Frost care for red milk tree
Cover it when nights drop below about 33°F. Use frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic.
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