Description
A cactus-like succulent shrub or small tree with thick, spiny, candelabra-shaped branches and abundant milky latex.
Medicinal Uses
The latex is used in small diluted doses in traditional medicine as a purgative and for coughs, but it is highly toxic — it is caustic to skin and can cause blindness on contact with the eyes; not for informal use.
Cultivation
Commonly planted as a living fence around homesteads and farms; propagated easily from stem cuttings.
