Euphorbia handiensis

Euphorbia handiensis is a succulent shrub in the spurge family. Its common names include Jandía thistle and Cardón de Jandía. It grows wild only in southern Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands. Its known sites lie within Jandía Natural Park. There, it grows on stony slopes and in ravines among basalt rocks. The climate is hot, dry and windy. Some sites may receive rain just once a year. Despite its small range, the plant can be abundant locally.

This cactus-like shrub reaches about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. It branches near ground level, then branches again as it ages. This builds a broad clump of upright stems. Each stem measures about 0.2–0.26 feet [0.06–0.08 metres] across. Young stems range from pale to bright green. Older parts often turn grey. Each stem has eight to twelve ribs, with deep grooves between them. The ribs range from rounded to somewhat sharp-edged.

Pairs of spines spread from joined bases along the ribs. They start red, then turn white. Most measure about 0.1 feet [0.03 metres] long. Some reach about 0.16 feet [0.05 metres]. Spine length varies even among plants at the same site. A few plants lack spines altogether. Hard, grey spine bases join into ridges along each rib. These ridges and pale spines give the stems much of their texture.

The small flower structures are called cyathia. Their colour ranges from amber-yellow to yellow-green. They sit on very short stalks, alone or in simple cymes. Each measures only about 0.007 feet [0.002 metres] across. Their nectar glands are green. The plant bears both male and female flowers. Greenbottle flies pollinate it in its native habitat.

In cultivation, this species needs full sun and free-draining soil. Use an open mix made mostly from mineral materials. Pumice and lava grit are suitable, with little organic matter. Water during active growth, but never leave water around the roots. Keep the mix almost dry through winter. LLIFLE describes established plants as fairly fast-growing and easy to grow. Seedlings, however, grow slowly. Plants can develop into substantial landscape clumps within three to five years. Reddening may signal poor root development. Growers can raise new plants from seed or cuttings.