Candelilla is comprised of numerous delicate-looking stems, but this succulent is surprisingly sturdy. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for this resilient Chihuahuan Desert native.
Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) is an unusual succulent made up of symmetric bundles of skinny pencil-like stems. Each stem is covered with a waxy finish that gives it a gray-green color. It has leaves, but they’re so tiny and short-lived, they’re barely noticeable.
In the spring and summer, tiny pink flowers cover the stems. They are not showy but are lovely when viewed up close.
Candelilla is a perfect addition to rock gardens or berms or next to boulders. It spreads slowly, doesn’t outgrow its space, and is super-tough, making it a great choice for hell strips or median strips, or planted along sidewalks.
Candelilla is an extremely low-maintenance plant. Once established it needs minimal irrigation. It doesn’t need pruning and produces no litter.
Why I Like This Plant
- Attractive plant adds architectural interest all year long
- Adorable pink flowers
- Extremely low maintenance, needs little water, litter-free
- Manageable and doesn’t outgrow its space
Things to Watch Out For
Like all members of the Euphorbia genus, candelilla exudes milky sap that is toxic to ingest and can be irritating to the skin.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a candelilla plant to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Candelilla should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. Plants are extremely tolerant of both heat and cold, and survive temperatures into the teens. A few winters ago, mine got covered with snow and it didn’t affect them in any way.
Sun Exposure
Candelilla can take the harshest sun and reflected heat. It tolerates some shade, but too much is a problem. Stalks get leggy and floppy, turning the plant into a tangled mess.
Size and Growth Rate
Candelilla is a slow grower. They often need a few years to take off, but eventually they send up new shoots around the perimeter of the cluster, gradually widening it. They usually attain a size of 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
Soil
Candelilla will grow in any soil, as long as it’s well-draining but it prefers the native alkaline soil of the desert southwest.
Other Location Considerations
Candelilla is slow-growing and litter-free, making it a good pool plant. But since it is toxic and its sap can be irritating, keep it away from kids and pets.
Candelilla makes an excellent container plant. Since it’s small and its flowers are diminutive, this is a good plant to put up close where its details can be seen and appreciated, such as near seating areas, on a patio, by your front door, or along a walkway. If you grow yours in a container, be sure it has good drainage and use specifically formulated cactus soil.
Candelilla:
The Essentials
| Common Names | Candelilla, wax plant |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia antisyphilitica |
| Origin | Chihuahuan Desert |
| Plant Type | Succulent |
| USDA Zones | Zones 8 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 10℉ |
| Flower Color | Pink |
| Flower Season | Spring, summer |
| Mature Size | 2-3′ high x 2-3’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Toxicity | Toxic, skin irritant |
| Wildlife | Deer, rabbit, javelina resistant |
How to Plant
Dig a hole as deep as and twice as wide as the nursery container. Candelilla roots are shallow, so you shouldn’t have much digging to do.
Carefully remove the plant from the container, place it in the hole, and press the soil to remove any air pockets. In the nursery container, stems hold each other up, so you might find some fall over. You can temporarily bind them together with a piece of twine or landscape ribbon until they can stand on their own.
It’s generally recommended that you backfill with only native soil and not add any amendments. However, good drainage is critical. So if you know your soil is slow draining, amend with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.
Since candelilla exudes toxic sap, handle with care. When dealing with plants like candelilla, I put a pair of inexpensive disposable gloves over my regular gardening gloves and then toss them when done. If you get sap on your gardening tools, clean them thoroughly before putting them away.
When to Plant
The best time to plant succulents is in April or May. Higher temperatures encourage root development.
How to Care for Candelilla
Whether you’ve recently planted a new candelilla or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water
You’re probably used to giving a plant a good soaking immediately after transplanting, but that isn’t the best practice with desert succulents like candelilla.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum advises not to water succulents for one to two weeks after planting. Then use the following schedule as a guide.
| Spring and Fall | Every 3-5 weeks |
| Summer | Every 2-4 weeks |
| Winter | Only if no winter rains |
Since candelillas have shallow roots, there is no need to water deeply.
If you’re growing candelilla in a container, use this watering schedule as a guide.
| Spring & Fall | Every 7-10 days |
| Summer | Every 5-7 days |
| Winter | Every 10-14 days |
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize candelillas, they get all they need from the surrounding desert soil. But if you keep one in a pot, fertilize lightly a few times a year when it’s actively growing.
Pruning and Propagation
This plant doesn’t need pruning. You can remove dead or damaged stems by simply giving that stem a little tug. Their roots are so shallow they pull right out. Tidying up my candelilla reminds me of playing pick-up sticks (one of my favorite childhood pastimes).😉
If candelilla clusters get larger than you would like, you can pull out pieces growing along the outer perimeter to keep it in check or you can dig out sections and divide every few years.
Don’t Confuse Candelilla With…
Candelilla is often confused with another upright succulent — lady slipper (Euphorbia lomelii). Lady slipper is a significantly larger desert landscape plant that, compared to candelilla, is somewhat unruly. It grows to be 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, and its stems are twice as thick.
Whereas candelilla has tiny pink flowers that only occasionally attract butterflies, lady slipper has brilliant coral-orange flowers that are hummingbird magnets.
Plant Lover Facts
You may be intrigued by the scientific name Euphorbia antisyphilitica. Antisyphilitica means just what it sounds like. It was traditionally used to treat syphilis.
Candelilla’s Importance to Mexico’s Economy
The name candelilla means “little candle.” Not only does the plant look like skinny candles, it can be boiled to extract a wax that’s used to make candles and many other everyday items.
While candelilla is a great landscape plant for those of us in the US southwest, in Mexico it’s much more than that.
Growing candelilla is one of the main economic activities in the Chihuahuan Desert. According to the Candelilla Institute, a Mexican non-profit organization, there are more than 3,500 small growers and producers of candelilla wax known as “Candelilleros.”
Candelilla wax is used in cosmetics and toiletries such as soap, lipstick, lip balm, and body lotion. It’s also used in manufacturing chewing gum, crayons, paints, dyes, lubricants, adhesives, paper, waterproofing, and fireworks.
If you enjoy making your own candles or toiletries, you can buy candelilla wax on Amazon.
Have you grown this plant?
Was it a “hit” or a “miss” in your garden?
Please share your experience in the comments below!
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for 15 years.
Photo Credit
Gardenology.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons