How to Grow a Zipper Plant

Zipper plants (Euphorbia anoplia) are cacti native to parts of South Africa. These small, attractive plants are notable for their tiny purple flowers and for the striped patterns on their sides, which resemble zippers. These plants are hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture zone 10 when grown outdoors, but they are also often grown in containers as indoor plants. Like most of the other 2,000 species of Euphorbia, they are relatively easy to grow.

Well-draining planting medium
Container with drainage holes (for potted plants)

Instructions

- 1
  Provide your zipper plant with sandy, well-draining soil. Container plants should be grown in a planting medium designed specifically for cacti and succulents. These are usually soilless and contain a high amount of sand and perlite.
- 2
  Locate your zipper plant in full sunlight. These plants thrive in direct sunlight and hot, dry conditions.
- 3
  Water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Water until the liquid drains freely from the bottom of the container if your plant is in a pot. Never let the plant sit for days in overly wet soil, as this can lead to root rot. During the resting period (winter), water only enough to barely moisten the soil.
- 4
  Detach pups (baby cacti) from around the base of the plant when they develop roots. Simply pull them off. Then, plant them in their own pots or give them away. If you leave the pups in with the mother plant in one container, it might get overcrowded.

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