Euphorbia stapelioides Variegated – Medusa Plant “Cayo” (Small)

This small Euphorbia stapelioides ‘Variegated’—often called the Medusa Plant—won me over with its quiet strangeness. From one angle it leans and coils; from another it stacks rosettes along a knobby spine. The pale variegation softens the green, and even at this size it feels like a living sculpture finding its own path. With time, those twisting stems lengthen and arc, turning the pot into a miniature, sculptural tangle.

Cayo takes its name from the Spanish word for “small island.” In the Caribbean, the word itself traces back further, believed to come from the Taíno people, whose language and traditions deeply shaped the region. Honoring that lineage, this piece is part of our Toronto Collection as we prepare for the move. It’s a compact preservation of the OG Medusa, scaled down to feel like an island in itself. Alongside it, I paired a small OG Ming and a delicate Rhipsalis Mistletoe Cactus sample from OG Node. To complete the scene, I placed a seashell collected from Phipps Ocean Park in Palm Beach, Florida—tying together land, sea, and memory in one living island.

🪴 Note About This Plant

• Also called Medusa Plant; variegated form of Euphorbia stapelioides.
• Bright, indirect sun and fast-draining soil—see our Euphorbia collection.
• Twisting stems will cascade with age; compact now yet boldly sculptural.