Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Tropical Fiesta
Tropical Fiesta is a crown of thorns cross, a thorny succulent shrub grown for the colorful bracts it carries on and off all year. It fits patio pots, low planters and rock gardens. In the Valley it grows best with morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered light. Its heaviest color comes in spring and fall.
Best for: Patio pots, low planters and rock gardens in filtered light or with afternoon shade.
Crown of thorns is planted in rock gardens and succulent beds. Give it well-drained soil and a spot out of the hot afternoon sun.
It is a common container plant for patios. Use a pot with a drainage hole and let the mix dry between waterings.
Low planters and borders under filtered light suit it. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall, so it stays low in a bed.
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.
What is Tropical Fiesta?
It is a named crown of thorns of the kind known as Euphorbia x lomi, a cross between crown of thorns and a related Madagascar euphorbia. Like other crown of thorns, it is a thorny succulent shrub grown for its colorful bracts.
How big does crown of thorns get?
This kind of crown of thorns grows slowly to about 2 to 3 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. Buy the larger size if you want a full pot right away.
When does it bloom?
On and off through the year, most heavily in spring and fall. The color comes from bracts around tiny yellow flowers.
Where should I plant crown of thorns in Phoenix?
Somewhere with morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. An east-facing bed or entry works well.
How often should I water crown of thorns?
Let the soil dry between waterings. It needs water more often in summer. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
Why are the leaves falling off?
Crown of thorns can drop leaves in winter. Dry soil in summer causes leaf drop too, so regular summer water helps.
How cold can crown of thorns take?
Only light frost, to about 25 to 30°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet, not plastic.
Are the thorns and sap dangerous?
Sharp spines up to half an inch long cover the stems. The milky sap irritates skin and is toxic if eaten. Sap in the eyes can cause temporary blindness.
Is it safe around dogs and cats?
No. Crown of thorns is toxic to dogs and cats. Chewing it can irritate the mouth and cause vomiting.
Can I trim crown of thorns?
Yes. You can cut stems back to shape it. Wear gloves and eye protection, since sap flows from each cut.
How far apart should I plant crown of thorns?
Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center, for a border or mass planting. Give single accent plants about 3 feet.
Tropical Fiesta for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Tropical Fiesta is a named crown of thorns cross, bred from the thorny succulent shrub from Madagascar and a close relative. Its color comes from bracts around tiny flowers, on and off through the year. Below is what to expect on sun, water, cold, bloom and pots in a Valley yard.
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Tropical Fiesta crown of thorns in the Valley
Tropical Fiesta is a named crown of thorns cross, a thorny succulent shrub with roots in Madagascar. Valley homeowners grow crown of thorns in patio pots, low planters and rock gardens.
Crown of thorns sun needs in Phoenix
It grows best with morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. An east-facing spot is a good choice. Hot afternoon sun is hard on it here.
How often does crown of thorns bloom?
It blooms on and off through the year. The most color comes in spring and fall. The show is the bracts around each tiny yellow flower.
Watering crown of thorns in Arizona
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.
Frost protection for crown of thorns
It takes only light frost, to about 25 to 30°F. On frost nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet to the ground and remove it in the morning.
Crown of thorns in pots
Crown of thorns is a common container plant. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a mix that drains well.
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