Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Tanzanian Zipper Plant
Tanzanian Zipper Plant is a small, clumping euphorbia with tall, ribbed stems striped in shades of green. Its ridges have no spines, so it looks like a zipped-up barrel. It stays about 9 to 12 inches tall, which makes it a pot plant for a bright, sheltered spot.
Best for: small pots, tabletops and sheltered succulent planters in bright light with some shade.
It stays about 9 to 12 inches tall in clusters of ribbed stems. Grow it in a pot with a gritty cactus mix and a drain hole.
It prefers bright light with some shade over hard afternoon sun. Pick a bright spot with light shade.
Its striped, ribbed stems have no spines. That gives it a softer look than most barrel-shaped succulents, so it can sit on a table where people reach past it.
It needs protection from frost and should stay dry through winter. The milky sap irritates skin and eyes.
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before the next watering. Water in the warm months, then keep it dry from about November through March while it rests. Soggy soil rots the roots.
Give it bright light with light shade. Hard afternoon sun can burn the stems.
It is not frost hardy. Keep it above about 32°F: move the pot under cover on cold nights.
Every cut or broken stem bleeds milky sap that irritates skin and eyes. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when you plant or trim it. Keep the sap away from your face, eyes and mouth.
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.
Is it from Tanzania?
No, despite the name. It is native to South Africa.
Does it have spines?
No. Its ribbed stems have no spines. The milky sap still irritates skin and eyes, so wear gloves.
How big does it get?
It stays small, about 9 to 12 inches tall, and its clump of upright stems can spread to about 2 feet across. That makes it an easy size for a pot.
How cold can it take?
It is not frost hardy. Keep it above about 32°F and bring the pot under cover on cold nights.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply in the warm months, then let the mix dry completely. Keep it dry through winter while it rests.
Does it need full sun?
It does best in bright light with some shade. Place it where it is protected from hard afternoon sun.
Is it toxic to pets?
Yes. Euphorbias are toxic to dogs and cats if chewed. The sap irritates the mouth and stomach and can cause vomiting. Plant it where pets cannot chew it.
Is zipper plant a cactus?
No. It is a euphorbia, a succulent related to poinsettias, even though it looks like a cactus. A broken stem bleeds milky sap, which cacti do not.
Tanzanian Zipper Plant for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Tanzanian Zipper Plant is Euphorbia anoplia, a small ribbed succulent from South Africa despite its name. It is frost tender and grows best in a pot. Below is what to expect: size, light, water, winter care and handling.
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What is a Tanzanian zipper plant?
It is Euphorbia anoplia, a small, ribbed, spineless euphorbia from South Africa grown as a pot plant.
How big does Euphorbia anoplia get?
Plan for about 9 to 12 inches tall in a small clump.
Zipper plant winter care
Keep it dry and above about 32°F through winter, when it rests.
How much sun does zipper plant need?
Give it bright light with some shade. Protect it from hard afternoon sun.
Is Euphorbia anoplia toxic?
Yes. Its milky sap irritates skin and eyes and is toxic if eaten. Keep it away from pets.
Zipper plant soil
Use a gritty, fast-draining cactus mix in a pot with a drain hole.
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