Hi Rose,

I'd say that that plant has areoles, and if you have areoles...well, if your plant has areoles, you have to have a cactus, right?

Maybe a Harrisia of some nonspecified species?

Wow, Rose...that's a confusing one! Jeff's right, it has areoles (or seems to), but it sure looks like a Euphorbia to me, too. Good luck! Whatever it is, it's pretty. Can't wait to see what it really is!

Kate

Actually, I think it is a euphorbia. There is a group of euphorbs that have areole-ish growths, along with those tell-tale pairs of short spines. I wish I could tell more, but I can't find an exact photo match in my books. I look forward to others (with more expertise than me) weighing in...

Well, Rose, you're going to have to be Our Woman in The Testing Field - slice into a stem and tell us what you find....

Rose,
you'll certainly find white sap. Your plant is Euphorbia knuthii.

Frank
www.euphorbia.de

Here is a link that might be useful: Euphorbia knuthii

Anya,
Look at the roots and if you have some tubers down there, I'd say Euphorbia knuthii. When I had mine, I'd lift the plant about every two years to expose more root, at one point I had that jumble of roots almost 10" high.
Dan
Lincoln, NE USDA 5

Whatever it turns out to be, I should never, EVER try to identify plants in the morning before having coffee.

I know I know, its Euphorbia cactiformis! ;)

LOL Larry......
Ok everyone, I have taken a small cut and it does have all that wonderfully poisonous milk sap. It is growing rather spread out in the pot, so will also check on that root situation just to see. I thank you all for the input and will get back to you about the root system.

Frank, if it does have that root mass like in the photo's you have provided, should I slowly bring up the root ball to be exposed?
At least for now, it has a name! : )
Thanks again to all.
Rose

Rose,
there may be other opinions but in my experience the root caudex develops better if grown underground in a deep pot for a long while. When of certain size you then may expose it.

By the way, if the branches become grayish and pendant after some years it's a good idea to cut them all off. The remaining motherplant, well watered, fertilised and placed in full sun after the pruning, soon looks particularly nice when crowned by a number of colourful, fresh and erect shoots. (That's one of the tricks used to win a prize at a c&s exhibition.) The cuttings taken soon build new caudices.

Frank
www.euphorbia.de

Ah, ok Frank, I will follow your instructions. Thanks again for all the advice.

Rose