Common Name:

General Information

Euphorbia neriifolia is an erect, branched, prickly, succulent shrub or small tree looking somewhat like a cactus, but with large, persistent leaves on younger parts of the plant, and growing up to 8 metres tall[, ].
The plant has a wide range of local medicinal uses throughout the areas in which it is grown. It is also used as a source of food and materials; and is often grown as an ornamental and as a hedge in the tropics.

Known Hazards

The plant is poisonous and skin contact with the sap can cause blistering[].
The leaves and roots have been used as a fish poison[].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - S. China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Guinea.

Habitat

The plant is only known in cultivation[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental

Cultivation Details

Prefers a positition in full sun[], but also succeeds in light shade[]. Requires a well-drained soil[], growing well in dry, often rocky places[].
The plant flowers intermittantly throughout the year[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[].
When boiled with syrup, the leaves and slices of the branches can be made into sweetmeats[].

Medicinal

A latex obtained from the plant is diuretic, purgative, rubefacient and vermifuge. It is used in the treatment of asthma[, ]. A syrup consisting of equal parts of the latex of this plant with a simple syrup; administered in doses of 10 - 20 drops three times a day; has been found to relieve asthma attacks completely[].
The latex is applied externally on haemorrhoids; is used to relieve sore throat and cracked lips; to treat gonorrhoea; and also to remove warts and cutaneous eruptions[].

The bark has been used as a strong purgative[].

The root is considered antiseptic[]. Mixed with black pepper, it is employed in the treatment of snake bites both internally and externally[].

The leaves are diuretic[]. The leaves are heated, squeezed, and the sap taken, sometimes with salt, to treat asthma; wheezing in babies; colds; and stomach upset[, , ]. The leaves are also used to treat fevers, coughs and colds, and diabetes[].
Applied externally, the sap is used to treat infected nails and to relieve earaches[, , ].

The plant has been shown to contain terpenes, anthocyanins, alcohols and steroids[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A prickly plant, easily propagated by cuttings, it is sometimes grown as a live fence or hegde where it can keep out livestock[].

Other Uses

A latex is obtained from the plant[]. It is smeared onto cuts made by tappers in the bark of Borassus flabellifer, in order to prevent attacks by red weevil[].

The nicely figured and aromatic wood is used for small objects such as knife handles[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings. They need to be allowed to dry for a few days before being potted up in the rooting medium[].

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