Most plants on Earth are genderless. Both the male and female flowers, or parts of the flowers, occur on the same plant. Any plant that exhibits this characteristic is called monoecious, or the more familiar term hermaphroditic. This is a survival mechanism which allows these plants to reproduce with any partner. For some plants, like the rare Euphorbia obesa or ‘baseball plant’, things are a bit more complicated.
Dioecious plants
Dioecious species have separate male and female plants. This means that each plant produces only either male or female reproductive systems. Stamens are the term for male reproductive systems, whereas pistils are the female reproductive systems. The males produce pollen from the stamen, which is then typically taken to a female plant’s pistil by a pollinating insect. The female plant then produces a fruit, which contains seeds. Wind, animals or insect then disperse the seeds, which allows the plant population to grow larger. But how does one identify the difference between a male and female plant, specifically with Euphorbia obesa?
Taking a closer look
This species’ “flowers” stretch the definition of the term. They consist of small nubs with the reproductive organs on top, and are incredibly difficult to tell apart without practice. The are light green, and have five almost unnoticeable flower petals. This Euphorbia produces flowers in late summer.
Male Euphorbia obesa flowers
The stamens of male Euphorbia obesa have a flat-topped cone with tiny anthers on top of it. This is where pollen is produced, and is the easiest way to tell if the plant is male. Some pollen may fall of the anthers, so if there is a yellow powdery substance lying on the plant just below the flower, it might be a sign that it is a male.
Male Euphorbia obesa flowers with protruding anthersFemale Euphorbia obesa flowers
On female Euphorbia obesa, the pistils are a little more obvious, with three stigma extending out of the cone to catch pollen. The individual stigma on females are larger than the anthers on males, and may look somewhat swollen in comparison. They are sticky in appearance, in contrast to the powdery look of the males.
Female Euphorbia obesa flowers with extended stigmaPollinated Euphorbia obesa flowers
Once a male Euphorbia obesa successfully pollinates a female plant, the female will produce three-sided “fruit”. Rarely, it may produce a four sided fruit containing an extra seed. This fruit contains seeds, which can take up to 6 weeks to be ready for harvesting. Remember to cover the top of the plant with something to capture the seeds, as the fruit will burst open once they dry, sending seeds in every possible direction. It is not uncommon to find stray Euphorbia seedlings popping up in neighbouring plant pots in the Living Desert Plants collection!
A successfully pollinated female Euphorbia obesa producing fruitWant to grow your own Euphorbia obesa succulent?
If you want to add one of these plants to your collection, we can help! Living Desert Plants stocks seed grown Euphorbia obesa, and you can order one by clicking here.