Many thorny plants have attractive foliage, fruit and flowers, and are landscaping assets. Read on to learn the basics of pruning crown of thorns. Both trees have clusters of honey-scented white flowers in early spring, giving way to seedpods later in the year. Although crown of thorns can grow into a woody shrub, it is also an ideal houseplant for most homes. List of Plants With Thorns Basics of Thorns. Not all plants use thorns as their defense mechanism against intruders. These plants come in many sizes, making them a versatile landscaping option. Drainage is key because it helps prevent rotting which is a common concern with cactus plants that are watered too much. Most types of crown of thorns ( Euphorbia milii) have a natural, branching growth habit, so extensive crown of thorns pruning isn’t generally needed. The cactus pads, called nopales, are also edible and are a common vegetable in Mexican cuisine. It sometimes grows a little too well, however, and spreads itself by seed, making it an invasive species in some areas. Begin watering again when new growth appears. Allowing the soil to dry before watering again will help avoid these problems. All Rights Reserved. To limit the amount of sap you come in contact with, wear gloves and dip each cutting into warm water, letting them sit in it for a couple of minutes. In South Carolina there are ten common Smilax species, along with five less common species. Numerous succulents bear thorns, including the many species of cactus available from specialty growers. These species include many types non-native to North America but adapted to some of the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones. Thorns are sharp pointy projections from the branch of a plant. They are evergreen to partially deciduous plants, produce strong tendrils at joints to aid in support, and are armored with stiff thorns along the vines. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11, the tree can reach 50 feet tall and has large, showy red to pink flowers and deciduous medium-green compound leaves. The name Crown of Thorns is derived from the belief by some that the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ at his crucifixion was made from stems of this plant. Purple Robe black locust has lilac-colored blossoms and bronze-tinged foliage. Greenbriers are perennial vines and capable of growing under low light conditions, which allows for rapid growth beneath shrubs to become well established. See Table 1 for examples of products containing glyphosate. All Rights Reserved. Climbing forms of hybrid tea roses (Rosa hybrids) have thorny branches like their shrubby parents. Shrubs. Chaney graduated from the University of Arizona in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. To make up for their thorny character, however, hawthorn trees bear a profusion of white flowers in early spring, followed by red fruit - which is edible in some species, such as the mayhaw, but insipid on most others. One of the widest-grown lemon trees, these large, vigorous trees grow in USDA zones 9 through 11. Many common names appear for these troublesome vines, such as catbriers, greenbriers, hogbriers, bullbriers, prickly-ivies, deer thorns, and smilaxes. Give it some renewal pruning at the end of the season, cutting away any older, fading leaves to encourage new growth. Watch for fungal diseases such as botrytis and leaf spotting diseases as well as root rot. Branches are well-supplied with thorns on this 4- to 6-foot-tall drought-tolerant California native that grows in USDA zones 6 through 10. Crown of thorns is popular as a houseplant and is grown in warm climates as a garden shrub. The more than 30 species are either annual or perennial, with stems and leaves covered with various sizes of thorns. Thriving in sun or shade and dry, infertile soil, silverthorn grows profusely without any fertilizer or care, making it arguably the most adaptable hedge plant available. Plus, they produce an edible fruit, called Indian fig or tuna in Spanish. The crown of Thorns is a pretty forgiving plant. Plant one every eight feet along a fence for complete coverage - they will grow as tall as the support structure they are given up to a height of about 15 feet. If you are looking for a hardy, drought-tolerant barrier shrub producing evergreen foliage and edible fruit, look no further than natal plum (Carissa marcocarpa). It’s named Crown of Thorns due to a legend that the Thorny Crown of Jesus was made from this plant’s stems. Pygmy date palms (Phoenix roebelenii) have soft-looking, gracefully arching feathery leaves that are armed with stout, sharp thorns at the leaf bases. In fact, it's an ornamental shrub with evergreen foliage and bright red berries that persist through the winter. Plus, sometimes a thorny plant is exactly what is needed - they make hedges much more difficult for intruders to penetrate, for example. “I think the thorns can easily penetrate clothing as well,” he added, who urged the relevant authority to replace the cactus plant with a much ideal decorative flower. The asparagus fern is not a true fern but this perennial has evergreen foliage and small thorns. Mountain thistle grows in many soil types but not in waterlogged areas. These vines are suitable only for USDA zones 9 through 11 if kept outside, but they work as greenhouse or sun room plants in colder areas. Also known as firethorn, pyracantha is not as evil as it sounds. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about crown of thorns plant? Most species of greenbrier in SC have blue-black or black fruit that contain from one to three hard seeds; a few species have red fruit. Impenetrable thickets of these thorny vines are often encountered, where they have sprawled over and between nearby shrubs and trees. From spring through fall, feed your Crown of Thorns with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Brambles fruit best in full sun, though partial shade is also acceptable. Agaves look like something from the age of the dinosaurs with their enormous, tough, leathery leaves. Use a Zip Code to find plants for that area. Indoors, place your plant in a west or south-facing winter during winter. Copyright © 2020 Clemson UniversityClemson Cooperative Extension | 103 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634864-986-4310 | Contact UsHGIC@clemson.edu, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program, Ferti-lome Brush Killer Stump Killer Concentrate (8.8%). Temperature-wise, a comfortable 65-75 F. (18-24 C.) degrees F. is good. ), hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11. The purpose of the thorns is to protect the plant from being eaten by a local herbivore. Bougainvillea is known for its colorful flower bracts, but its thorny stems make it an excellent species to consider for making a fence line more secure. If ingested, all parts of the plant are toxic to people and pets. Sea holly has spiny flowers shaped like eggs. There are numerous improved cultivars that are delightful flowering trees for use as a focal point in small yards. However, if it is a larger vine, then chemical treatments will be necessary. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Give the plant plenty of room outdoors. Average garden soil and water are sufficient. However, crown of thorns will reliably bloom as long as it gets at least 3 - 4 hours of bright, direct sunlight per day. It also forgives occasional missed waterings and feedings without complaint. | Crown of Thorns Plants. A third common greenbrier in SC is Smilax glabra (called the cat greenbrier), which can be distinguished from other species by its pale colored, lower leaf surface. Chemical control of greenbriers is difficult because their extensive root system can regenerate new vines from further back along the knobby rhizomes, and the waxy foliage resists the uptake of sprays. It grows 3 to 6 feet tall with a spread of 4 to 7 feet. Crown of thorns will go semi-dormant in the winter and need less frequent watering and not food. If the greenbriers to be controlled are only a few small individual plants, it is possible to dig up the rhizomes. Outdoors, aim for a spot full sun. Proudly grown by Pure Beauty Farms and despite its somewhat off-putting name, the Crown of Thorns plant is a beautiful succulent variety that can bloom year-round, even indoors. Crown of Thorns is easy to grow because it adapts well to normal room temperatures and also to dry indoor environments. Joey Williamson, PhD, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University. Greenbrier vines are dioecious, which means there are separate male and female plants. He said the injury could be severe when the thorny stem gets in contact with a person’s eye. The Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) is an evergreen succulent that produces colorful bracts of red, pink or orange colors around the mini flowers like the poinsettia, continuously. Each rhizome may sprout additional fast growing vines from several inches to several feet from the original vine. Gold Rush bears yellow berries, instead of the typical red fruit. They often bloom with pretty flowers to add curb appeal to your home, making this security component attractive and functional. Cathryn Chaney has worked as a gardening writer since 2002. Immediately paint or spray the freshly cut vine stumps with a 10% glyphosate solution, but do not allow the herbicide to touch landscape plants. Thorns cover the branches on these trees, though they are sometimes seen on the trunk of young trees all the way down to ground level. Larger greenbrier vines are capable of growing upright at least six feet. Fragrant white, star-shaped flowers bloom year-round and give way to reddish plumlike fruits resembling a cranberry in taste. Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from HGIC. Mountain thistle, a shrubby perennial plant, grows in zones 7 through 10. But if you have kids or pets, knowing which plants have thorns is also important for safety reasons to prevent injuries. If you have trees with thorns in in your landscaping, you can prevent injury by pruning the thorn-covered branches above head level. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Follow the directions on the label. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. Nellie Stevens is a fast-growing holly with a pyramidal growth habit. List $14.95. Joey Williamson, ©2016 HGIC, Clemson Extension, The long, sectioned greenbrier rhizomes have nodes where roots and new vines arise. The Lutea cultivar of the banksia rose, for example, grows to 20 feet high, while the Chewground type of shrub rose can be 12 inches tall. Container grown crown of thorns can spend the summer out of doors wherever you need color or interest. Although crown of thorns can grow into a woody shrub, it is also an ideal houseplant for most homes. Some species also have spines along the margins of the leaves to aid in defense from animal browsers. Using woody plants for support, greenbriers may grow as high as 30 feet. The Crown of Thorns is a leafy, highly branched, woody succulent native to Madagascar. Some plants are so beautiful or bear such delicious fruit that people are happy to tolerate the inconvenience of their thorns, while others are planted specifically for the message that their thorns will send to potential intruders.