Instructor Sean Robertson teaches us about the naboom, also known as a common tree euphorbia, Latin name Euphorbia ingens.

The latex of this tree is extremely toxic and can severely anger the skin, cause blindness, as well as severe illness to humans and animals if swallowed. However, if correctly applied it can be medicinally used as a purgative or a treatment for ulcers. It is said to be used by the Venda and Sotho people as a cure for cancer.

The branches are used as a fish poison in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The wood from the main trunk is light and tough and is used to sometimes make doors, planks and boats. A fire is made around the tree before it is cut down to set the sap.

It is an upright, succulent tree with a dark green crown which is well rounded and often shaped like a hot-air balloon. It grows up to 12m. The branches are segmented with spines running along the ridges of the segments. It produces small, greenish-yellow flowers on the ridges of the topmost segment of every branch from autumn to winter. The fruit, a round 3-lobed capsule, turns red to purple when ripening.

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