Euphorbia atropurpurea aka Tabaiba Majorera

Euphorbia atropurpurea is a shrub in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It comes from Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Its native climate is subtropical. It grows on the island’s south and west sides. There, it lives in ravines and on slopes and terraces. It favours humid sites at low to middle heights. Spanish names include tabaiba roja and tabaiba majorera.

The shrub reaches about 5–6.6 feet [1.5–2 metres], sometimes more. Its fleshy branches fork into pairs as they grow. They have cinnamon-brown surfaces and lack spines. Old leaves leave scars along the stems. Dense rosettes of blue-green leaves grow at the branch tips. The leaves have no stalks and end in points. Their shape ranges from narrow and lanceolate to spoon-shaped or oblong. Leaves can reach about 0.5 feet [0.15 metres] long. The branches stay bare after their leaves wither and fall.

Flower clusters form at the ends of the branches. Each cluster has five to fifteen main rays. Each main ray divides into three to five smaller rays. Broad, rounded bracts surround the small flowering structures, called cyathia. The bracts range from bronze-purple to violet. These dark bracts give the plant its species name. They also provide much of its garden colour. Flowering runs from December through May, spanning winter and spring. The cyathia have short stalks and fine hairs. Their four nectar glands range from yellow-green to dark purple.

The smooth fruit is a capsule with three chambers. Each capsule holds three seeds and has blunt lobes. Its colour ranges from dull green to reddish brown. A curved stalk holds it beyond the cyathium. The dark brown seeds are long and finely wrinkled. Each bears an appendage known as a caruncle. Seed is the main means of propagation reported for this species.

Gardeners grow this shrub for its form and flower display. The cultivation account describes it as needing little care. It calls for sunlight and some humidity in the air. The supplied evidence gives no firm frost limit or hardiness zone. It also gives no species-level guidance on pests or diseases. It does not establish edible uses or safety for people or pets.