Baja spurge is a plant native to Baja California Norte and Sur, as well as Sonora and Sinaloa. It is considered a shrub, its branches grow every direction, if they are exposed to the sun, they tend to grow straight up. If they are in the shade, the branches bend and they do not flower much. So if you have one, put it in the sun. It is a very pretty plant, it gives very small white with pink flowers. These flowers attract pollinators, although they do not need them to propagate, they spread on their own, just like aloe vera or agaves.
It is not edible, in fact if you cut it, a white liquid comes out, which some say can be toxic, so don't eat it or put it in your eyes or do strange things with it, just plant it and appreciate its beauty and the creatures it attracts.
In my garden I have it in front of my window bedroom, it has grown very tall and serves as a curtain so that the sun does not hit my room so hard. I also have an English rose bush on one side of the Baja spurge. In the spring both plants bloom, the English rose covers the Baja spurge stems with its light pink roses, while the Baja spurge covers my window with its pale green stems and pinkish-white mini flowers. It's a nice combination and both plants seem comfortable, not competing for water and both sheltering from the weather.
Baja spurge is a good option to put near a wall, a fence or something where it can climb and grow. It is also a good option to put in a large yard, where it can grow as a bush and can spread its branches, which will be filled with color in the spring. You have to take care of it from the cold, in Arizona it does not tolerates winter much, its branches will freeze if the temperature drops to 30 F, although its roots will survive and be reborn in the spring. It is good to cover it with a sheet or blanket during the winter. If you are in a more mild weather, there is nothing to worry about.
Type: Evergreen shrub.
Size: Up to 8 ft high.
Water use: Very little, watering once a week is more than enough.
Flower season: October to May.
Flowers: Tiny and cute white with pink flowers.
Food for: Pollinators.
Where to plant: Full sun! If you put it in the shade, it may not flower.
Distribution: Sonora, Sinaloa, Baja California Norte and Sur.
Ancestral use: If you know of any ancestral use of this plant, please share!
Landscape design: It serves as an accent plant, which means that it is a unique plant, which can be potted or planted somewhere that highlights its beauty and rarity. You can also put it near a wall or fence, so that it climbs and grows upright. If you have a lot of space in your garden and want to put up large bushes, this is a good plant for that, it will spread as it grows and takes up a lot of space, you can prune it if necessary, but if you leave it natural it will look much better. I prune mine, because they are close to a path and I have to make room to walk around, the plant still looks good, and when it blooms it is a beautiful experience to walk by and see its flowers with butterflies and bees.
Sources:
Books:
Baja California Plant Field Guide 3rd Edition, Norman C. Roberts and J. Rebman.
Web:
https://www.spadefootnursery.com/euphorbiaceae-euphorbia-xanti
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