Uncommon Plant
by Cromwell
(Moscow, ID, USA)
Poisonous Succulent Plant
This is the second plant, (the first plant is here: Unknown Common Plant)I got from a restaurant where no one knew what the plant was.
It was on a much taller plant (about 5+ feet), but I've had a friend tell me it seems to be a kind of succulent.
It seems to have characteristics of both a fern and cactus, with alternate leaves sprouting out (only two are visible in this picture), and the plant grows, at least from my perception of the mother plant, by those side leaves growing bigger, some turning into new branches of similar structure (like a simple cactus).
When the leaves break off as many of these ones did, a white milk-like fluid secretes, similar to a milkweed or dandelion stock.
I really like my plants, but need to know what they are to give them proper light and water, as I have no way to know for sure if I'm doing it right, though little or no growth suggests I'm doing something wrong.
Drought Smart Plants reply:
Okay, the characteristic that most worries me (right after the part about finding this in a restaurant!!) is the part above that I've emphasized with bold text.
This is some type of Euphorbia, and the milky sap is really caustic, and in some cases has caused blindness and extreme contact dermatitis. Please use extreme caution handling this plant, especially when pruning it.
In fact I would advise that you get rid of the plant by disposing of it in the garbage, where it can't cause any trouble.
Jacki