The Crown-of-Thorns Cancer Myth: A Brief History of Euphorbia Madness in the Philippines
I just posted the final scene of my series on Thailand’s Crown of Thorns madness in the 1990s over on my Facebook page. If you missed it, you can still catch up and find it here, https://www.facebook.com/JuliaEuphorbiaTexas/posts/pfbid02ykMAz8wapko9gVHjyi76zkv3y16x2PFhskpkDHc4TJRTA7yTmrFGdkH4V3Yyzmcal
What I shared in those posts wasn’t fiction. That really was the 1990s—and the Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) madness is still alive and kicking among rare plant collectors today. But while the craze is thriving in places like the United States, the history of the Euphorbia craze in the Philippines tells a completely different, wild story.
In the Philippines, the obsession for "Euphorbia," as it is commonly called there, burned incredibly hot, fast—and then collapsed almost overnight around 2004–2005.
The Rumor That Destroyed the Philippine Euphorbia Market
During the peak of the Philippine plant craze, collectors went wild for expensive, imported Thai hybrids. According to one infamous local anecdote, the market didn't collapse because of standard economics—it collapsed because of a bitter domestic dispute.
The story goes that a husband finally snapped after watching his wife spend every cent of their savings on the newest Thai Euphorbia hybrids, leaving the family broke and hungry. In absolute desperation to stop her, he went online and declared:
“Crown of Thorns causes cancer.”
The rumor spread like wildfire across the country. In a matter of weeks, panic took over:
- Mass Disposal: Beautiful, expensive Thai hybrids were tossed straight into the trash.
- Nursery Closures: Major plant nurseries and specialized breeders shut down overnight.
- Generational Taboo: The entire country essentially said, "Nope, never again."
To this day, many fields of local horticulture remain unchanged by it—many modern Filipinos still won’t touch a Crown of Thorns plant, not even with gardening gloves.
Meanwhile in the US: Theft, Jealousy, and Collector Feuds
While the Philippine market went cold, the Crown of Thorns collector culture in the US is alive, thriving, and apparently well-fertilized with pure drama.
If you think plant parenting is a peaceful, zen hobby, you haven't seen the dark side of rare succulent collecting. Within the community, stories of theft, jealousy, envy, and full-blown collector feuds are everyday occurrences.
- Group Bans: Collectors are regularly banned from online spaces over pricing and trading disputes.
- Mislabeled Hybrids: Decades-old friendships have ended over a single mislabeled plant variety.
- Hate Cults: Some folks even gather tiny, dedicated hate cult followings online devoted entirely to disliking one particular collector.
As if the plants themselves weren’t thorny enough! It’s wild, it’s ridiculous, and it is exactly what makes the Crown of Thorns culture so fascinating. Honestly? I wouldn’t trade this dramatic community for anything.
🇲🇽 Over to You: Do You Have a Mexico Crown of Thorns Story?
We've looked at the historic highs of Thailand, the rumor-fueled collapse in the Philippines, and the ongoing drama in the US. Now, I want to expand the global map of plant mania.
Does anyone have a story to add about Crown of Thorns craziness or unique plant myths in Mexico? Drop your stories in the comments below!