![]() It is crucial to keep the soil moist but not wet at all times. If you notice that the leaves are turning yellow, make sure to water the plant and feed it more often. The Euphorbia Tithymaloides does not like to be left in water, but it can tolerate damp conditions. The species is also known to grow in arid environments. This is the most northern place the plant grows naturally in South Africa. It is most common in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Habitat & Range.Ĭonversely, Euphorbia tithymaloides is not found in the North American range of the species, but in the wild, it grows in southern Africa (especially on rocky outcrops). However, the first known reference to Euphorbia tithymaloides was made by the Greek author Dioscorides, who described the plant as a source of dye in his book “De Materia Medica.” written sometime around A.D. The plant blooms from June to July with reddish-purple flowers.Įuphorbia tithymaloides dates back to the time of the Phoenicians, who traded the plants for other items. It grows to about 4 inches (10 cm) in height and has thick, woody stems that support a large number of small, oval-shaped leaves. Euphorbia tithymaloides can be found growing along roads and in dunes, as well as on rocky outcrops. In addition, the plant was used as a dye to color fabrics in the past. In 1887, Norwegian botanist Vahl named this plant Euphorbias Tithymaloides after a Greek word meaning “fiery spine.”Įuphorbia tithymaloides have a history of use in traditional medicine in South Africa, where they were used as an antidote for snake venom. The name “devil’s backbone” comes from the plant’s spiny appearance, which resembles a spinal column. It was easily the best water I’d ever tasted, and helped me get through the last 3 miles to Mishe Mokwa, where I’d sit, anticipating the climb up Sandstone Peak, the highest mountain in the Santa Monicas.Euphorbia Tithymaloides, also known as the Devil’s Backbone, is a succulent plant found in Southern Africa. She pulled out a liter of ice water and insisted that she pour it into my empty bottle. I had some water, but I was running out quickly due to the sun and the heat. It turns out, she’s section hiked the entire BBT over the years, and she asked me if I needed water. ![]() I passed a woman hiking the opposite direction of me who stopped me and asked if I was thru hiking. It’s green this time of year, has amazing views, and the trail is relatively flat, but it’s also extremely exposed and sunny, and my fifth day on trail was one of the hottest. The section leading up to the Mishe Mokwa trailhead is one of the most beautiful prior to the Boney Mountain Wilderness (day 6). I wasn’t expecting trail magic on the BBT, especially since I never saw another thru hiker my entire trip, but day five brought me some unexpectedly. Seeing the sign that Mishe Mokwa, my big goal for the day, was only 6.6 miles away, felt like a relief, even if I still had a lot of trail to go. This made for a lot of very slow travel, especially on downhill sections.Ĭruising along this section and hitting mile 10 well before noon felt like a huge accomplishment, especially since this was going to be my longest day on trail of the entire trip–between 16 and 17 miles. This trail is extremely steep in parts, rocky in other parts, and both in over half the trail. ![]() Honestly, I think the thing most people don’t expect about the BBT is how rough the terrain is. I know the goal is 10 before 10, but I was proud of my first 10 before 12. The many road crossings made for a lot of mile marker signs along the trail, which meant I could easily keep track of how far I’d gone. This, paired with all of the road crossings of the day, made it easy to feel like I was moving quickly, and I was. The trail on day five was surprisingly flat and fairly gradual when it did climb up or down. It seemed like every couple miles, I would reach another road. And while I’d crossed plenty of familiar Los Angeles canyon roads throughout my hike already, I hadn’t had a day with so many of them as day five. The trail’s longest section between roads is 16 miles. Something that is fairly characteristic of the Backbone Trail is road crossings. ![]() I dropped down into my first canyon of the day from Kanan Dume Road, and after about thirty minutes, found myself completely alone, in a bowl between mountains, watching a special coastal version of alpenglow touch the Santa Monica Mountains. Instead, I woke up at 5am on day five, ready to start on my longest day on the Backbone Trail (BBT) before the sun was fully up. It’s hard to get that out of your head once you realize it, that if you hadn’t taken a zero day, the worst would already be behind you. I was supposed to be finishing the trail on this day. ![]()
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