Synadenium grantii 'Rubra', Red Milk Bush

Synadenium grantii, African Milk Bush

The plain green form


Synadenium grantii 'Rubra' Red Milk Bush

This succulent shrub from Tanzania can reach several metres in height and is noted for its wine red leaves with dark purple reverse. It makes an interesting pot plant but tends to get a bit gawky and "leggy" by losing most of the foliage up the stem. In fact it requires little or even poor soil or water to do well .One specimen I kept in a shallow bonsai bowl still managed to grow up to 30 cm without any effort. It will grow in deep shade or in very dry conditions. Heavy frost will knock it back severely in winter but then it will recover and regrow with new vigor in summer. One word of warning, the sap can cause skin irritation if you come in contact with it and eye damage may result if you get the sap in your eye.
2017 update: I have stock available of both the plain green form and the red.