Botanical name: Pedilanthus tithymaloides      Family: Euphorbiaceae (castor family)

Devil's Backbone is a common succulent from the Tropical Americas found mostly in house gardens. The fleshy tubular stems are thin pencil like, grow zig zag and produce thick, dark-green or variegated, fleshy, cordate leaves. All pedilanthus have peculiar beak shaped flowers. To some, the flower bracts resemble a slipper, hence one of its many common names. Devil's Backbone has bright white and pink coloured flowers. The plant makes a good hedge/border plant, which can be trimmed. The livestock donot browse the plant as it is poisonous. It thrives in partial shade and well-drained sandy soil. Planting should be done in the spring. Devil's backbones do best in bright indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight.

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The flower labeled Devil's Backbone is ...