Cardón, Candelabra Spurge (Euphorbia canariensis)

Very succulent cactus-like shrub, completely leafless, with short spines. Stems erect, to 2 m or more, light green or glaucous, 8-10 cm in diameter. Flowers are small and greenish-red; fruits (capsules) are red to reddish brown. This well-known native of the Canary Islands, along with tabaibas (another species of Euphorbia), dominates vegetation known as cardonal-tabaibal or lowland Euphorbia communities, which is found from sea level to 400-500 m and, in specific areas, can also ascend to 1,000 m, to the lower edge of the pine forests. Present throughout the islands, with the exception of Lanzarote, where it is has not been seen in the wild for several decades. It was, however, recorded in El Rubicón, where it was very rare. Cardones are a living fortress and provide important protection from introduced herbivores for many native plants, hence the term “Euphorbia ecosystem. Dead or rotting stems also shelter an interesting array of invertebrate fauna.