Euphorbia punicea

Native only to Jamaica, this plant is a slow-growing evergreen succulent shrub or small tree with an upright habit. Its showy flowering clusters are surrounded by colored bracts, which are modified leaves rather than petals. Bract colors range from orange-pink to scarlet and crimson. The branches commonly divide into three new stems. In South Florida, flowering can extend through much of the year, and the plant is grown as an ornamental. Its milky sap irritates skin and eyes, and the plant is harmful if eaten. Photographed in Miami, Florida.