Euphorbia lactea 'White Ghost'
Euphorbia lactea 'White Ghost is a strongly variegated, largely white cultivar of Euphorbia lactea, prized for its striking bone-white, candelabra-like stems. Where the parent species is a green, mottled column, 'White Ghost' carries little pigment across much of its surface, so the plant reads as a pale, ridged sculpture — an effect that has made it one of the more recognisable ornamental euphorbias in cultivation.
'White Ghost' is a variegated sport of Euphorbia lactea rather than a true albino. It retains enough chlorophyll — typically in green flecking, at the growing tips, and toward the base — to sustain itself, and it grows on its own roots. Plants are commonly sold un-grafted, though grafting onto a vigorous green Euphorbia rootstock is sometimes used to speed growth or bulk up stock.
Description
'White Ghost' shares the upright, branching, candelabra architecture of Euphorbia lactea: flattened, three- to four-angled stems with wavy, ridged margins that fork and rise into a coral-like or menorah-like habit. What sets the cultivar apart is colour. The stems are a chalky, creamy white — often flecked or blushed with pale green (and sometimes pink) along the growing tips and lower stems — rather than the mottled green of the ordinary species. Small, short-lived leaves and paired spines appear along the ridge margins, as in the parent.
Like all Euphorbia, the plant exudes a milky white latex when cut or bruised. This sap is an irritant to skin and eyes and is toxic if ingested; wear gloves and wash off any contact promptly (see Cultivation and the toxicity note in the parent species' infobox).
Cultivation
Care follows the parent species, Euphorbia lactea — treat it as a warm-growing, drought-tolerant succulent in a fast-draining, mostly mineral mix, watered thoroughly then allowed to dry out before watering again. Keep it warm and frost-free; it resents cold, wet conditions.
A few points are specific to 'White Ghost':
- Light. Because much of the tissue holds little chlorophyll, the pale surfaces scorch easily. Give it bright, mostly indirect light or gentle morning sun, and acclimatise slowly to any increase in intensity. Deep shade, however, tends to make new growth weak and stretched — aim for bright but filtered.
- Grafts. On grafted plants, watch the green rootstock for offsets or suckers and rub these off, or they may out-compete the top growth. The graft union should be kept dry and never buried when repotting.
- Sap safety. The irritant latex flows freely from any wound. Handle with gloves and keep the plant away from children and pets.
See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
See also
- Euphorbia lactea — the parent species
- Euphorbia — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Pests and diseases