Baseball plant: a small sphere with quiet growth

Your care table

Round as a ball but botanically not a cactus

Euphorbia obesa belongs to the spurge family. Its usually single ribbed body recalls a small ball and often carries fine grey-green to brownish-violet transverse markings. Young plants are particularly round; the body may become more elongated with age. That is not automatically a care mistake. The species comes from a limited area of the South African Karoo. For indoor cultivation, it is especially important to understand the water-storing body as an adaptation to limited moisture.

The 5.5 cm pot shows the actual small format

The offer states a 5.5 cm pot and around 10 cm total height. The scene accordingly shows a tiny young plant, not a large sphere for the floor. Fine differences in markings and ribs are normal for living plants. Keep the body free rather than surrounded by constantly damp moss or a dense decorative layer. Hold the pot rim instead of squeezing the plant. Decoration and additional pictured objects are not part of the plant delivery.

Plenty of light with gentle acclimatisation

Choose a very bright position. Direct sun is possible after gradual acclimatisation, but a plant from shaded cultivation may burn in sudden strong radiation. A living-room position must therefore offer sufficient daylight. Keep as bright as possible and frost-free in winter. A somewhat cooler position around 10 to 15 °C, as stated in the shop, eases the rest phase. Conditions at a South African natural site do not permit frost exposure for a small pot in Germany.

Check dryness before the next watering

Let the root ball dry well between waterings. During active growth, water deliberately and drain completely afterwards. The small pot should neither stand in water residue nor be topped up a little daily. Keep very dry in cool winter conditions. A firm old discolouration at the base is different from a new soft wet area. With suspicious softness, do not immediately give more water; first inspect compost, temperature and roots.

Few interventions and airy root room

A free-draining succulent mix with plentiful mineral structure is suitable. The pot needs drainage and should only be moderately enlarged when repotting. A slow-growing plant initially scarcely uses large amounts of fresh damp compost. Very sparing feeding following product instructions suffices during growth; pause during winter rest. Shaping is not necessary for normal spherical growth. Shine products and polishing are also unnecessary and may damage the surface.

Small flowers and careful handling

Inconspicuous inflorescences sit near the tip. Male and female flowers normally appear on separate plants in this species; suitable flowering partners are needed for seed formation. Flowering delivery or a particular sex is not guaranteed. Milky sap may escape with injury and must especially be kept away from skin and eyes. Do not puncture to check the plant family. Seeds suit propagation; the usually unbranched sphere gives no reason for routinely taking cuttings.

One plant, several views

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