Wes, Why'z it look dead? :) Kinda like that milli stick you gave me back in March.

Yeah I know but the only look dead for now but finally re-potted some of them. Don't worry that little pot will be over crowded they even grow on top of each other... Needing to trim the smaller pots down a bit I thought why not a small token of esteem for someone who didn't get any of the ten hangers.
Re The dead looking milli: One of a few rooted cuttings from last fall and shoved outside early march as a cold to warmer temp tester is a tuff milli all the cuttings I have from then are spitting out new growth. To no surprise the math is right one pound of neglect this year is next years ten pounds of plant.

Go figure huh ?

This post was edited by mrlike2u on Mon, Jun 10, 13 at 19:24

It doesn't look like this. I don't know how my friend does it - she doesn't special mix soil. She puts things in pots, sometimes with no holes - and leaves them out in rain, wind - just about ignores them to the point of neglect - and yet, once they're outside, these plants just keep growing for her.

Not bad it's not thirsty for certain but it's naked LOL

I haven't decided if Mili's are considered girl plants or not. twiggish and prickly. :)

I haven't a clue what to tell her to do with such a tall plant - cut it? would that help to give it more leaves?
Knowing her, she left it outside during the last cold spell. Yet it's still growing. ARe these supposed to be trees?

E Milli is considered a female plant because of it's ease to take and beauty of shape in the experienced good hands, it's feisty dont mess with me I'm having a bad hair day attitude in nature kind of confirms that it is a feminist plant.

Think of it like this, If it where a male plant it wouldn't ask for directions let alone follow them.

Whats it all mean: Nothing important but it makes the rounder shaped pots more suitable for a feminist plant and the not as round in shape is for the male characteristic types of plants. Nobody can make a female be a male because of pot shape Rounder pots are very formal and right for any E milli .

Back to the subject of SHAPE and BEAUTY for the feminist Milli:

Cutting the top at any angle sends a signal for more branches to start new growth outward in the middle and bottom and the existing branches would also become thicker and also start new branches. Has the same pruning characteristics as most shrubs. Would also grow more upward if she inner cut the branches and also send signal to grow more branches.

If your friend wants to stop it's height it would need a root pruning at the height she wants it to stop at HIGHLY TOXIC PLANT WARNING: STRONGLY SUGGEST She would be better to seek a person who KNOWS what they're doing for assistance and talking before attempting this on her own.

Not to forget mentioning the feisty female milli:

In it's natural areas of growing the sand and wind speeds would do the pruning.

Biggest ones I've ever seen where in Greece at 16 feet high and nearing 20 feet wide, they get taller and wider in other areas like Kenya and Tunisia , I was kind of busy to bother take a look.

I'll confirm a single Milli could stop a pride of hungry lions if it's one zebra meal is on the other side of it and aware of the pride of lions presence.
E. milli, a feminist plant. Don't mess with milli after a sand storm ( her bad hair day) she just wont be in the mood and isn't afraid to use OR show of her VERY thick and long firm sharp thorns.

Well, she'd probably have me do it - if she read what you just wrote, Wes.

As soon as you mentioned cutting roots - she'd get me involved in it. So - what am I supposed to do with it - cut half the roots off? or more? HOw do I make that judgement call? Are the roots poisonous too? or just the stalk?

If I cut the stalk shorter, do I just poke the cut piece into dirt for another plant? Or is there a special process for rooting them?

another new plant...:) cool, right?

E. Milli cutting/rooting Roots well in water,

First spread a sizable plastic drop cloth to protect the area, set a tall glass or vase with 1/3 water. Set one sharp cutting tool pruners or equivalent sharp same shape shears and a hot dog tong next to the vase of water, add one misting bottle set to mist pumped up and ready to go and full of water.
Next dawn both left and right hands with my preference rubber but Playtex dish washing gloves will work as well.
Grasp and use the hotdog tong in one hand to grab an area above the cut and pruner in the other.

Only important to me but BRASS Breath relax aim and squeeze (as to shoot a riffle) for you.Count to three a 45 angle before you say FOUR the cut is done in the vase and mister is in hand that once held the cutting tool.

When you see the white sap flow from the cut on remaining are of plant mist it to slow it down and repeat as needed for about two minutes or so. Mist the pruner in the area or ground too.

Then dump out the water from the vase and add the amount needed to root the cut as replacement water

PSSST note how I didn't tell you to take the gloves off did I ? When you bring the plant inside to a dabbled sun and cooler area with warm air flow you still have a drop cloth to pick up and area to reset as it never happened. WHEN ALL IS DONE and clean you soak the tools in a sink of warm water and bleach. With gloves still on going in sink solution for a rinse or two only then you can take them off LAST and drop them into the sink as well.

Pruning E.Milli roots:
If your neighbor doesn't want to do it I would suggest that it would be easier and safer for you to not do it either Rosey
To risk a sever burning rash or blindness and a mis step in this process could require immediate medical attention.

I dont and wont feel any guilt for not leaving a " What I would do is " response to this question. I dont have a problem if you say no to your friend they shouldn't have a problem hearing it now that they have a better understanding. It's a whole lot better to be safe than for someone to be blind and someone else be sorry.

New plant pic: Ummmm I see some of the tag and part of it's name on the tag. I imagine wont be forgiven for not memorizing your two page plant order either so I made a cross reference to Logees. At there site for a better look with no favorable results to what it's cultivar is.

I do see the discolor var. printed on tag though.... Meaning we'll never know if it's doing well or not as it's suppose to be mis colored ? LOL

My best guess, it's a variegated plant of some type darker on top of foliage with lighter variegated coloring with no shade of green on it's bottom side of foliage..

Orchid ?

yes a type of terrestrial orchid - the black jewel orchid. Logees had it on sale. It's sure pretty up close and personal. The colored mix of black, red, and dark green ... it's just pretty! ... and the way the stems are segmented (like a begonia?) - I'd say this is my current favorite plant.

I never realized how tricky it would be to trim a poisonous plant! ... I'm going to tell her to not touch them because the risk isn't to just her, but also the two kids.

Are the roots as poisonous as the rest of the plant? or is it just the sap from the stem?

Through and through it's all toxic roots,, stems, cyathium, seed For E.milli the thorns are just a visual warning.
How toxic: If to notice you'll also not find a weed or any other stray plant around a Milli. Nearly every Euphorbia there is usually a distance from each other as they also leech a herbicide in the ground around them.