The milk bush (Euphorbia virosa), a tall succulent, is in essence a desert plant and can be found throughout the Namib Desert from Angola all the way south to just south of the Orange River. It resembles a small cactus-like plant in appearance and is a familiar sight in Namibia. At the end of the summer, shiny red fruit adorn the top of the plant during the fruiting season, but the flowers remain somewhat more conspicuous.

A similar plant of the Euphorbia species shares similar habitat and distribution qualities. Euphorbia avasmontana differs by its cluster of a 3 flower like structures instead of the virosa's 1.

Euphorbia virosa is a stem succulent which grows on rocky slopes, and just as with other Euphorbia species the milky sap is poisonous. This handy piece of local knowledge was used by the San, who used the sap to make poison arrows.

Succulents of Namibia

Namibia Holiday