Crown of Thorns Plant History

The type of crown believed to have tortured Jesus of Nazareth.

The Crown of Thorns plant, Euphorbia milii, claims membership in the Euphorbiaceous -- or Spurge -- family. It is also commonly referred to as the Christ Crown or Rosa (Corona) Espinas.

Crucifixion

Folklore suggests the plant was utilized in the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth; the Crown of Thorns gains its name from the supposition that the crown of thorns placed upon the head of Jesus by Roman soldiers was made from the branches and thorns of this wiry, succulent bush.

Considerations

Historians believe the plant did indeed grow in the area of Jerusalem at the time. "It was introduced to that area from Madagascar some years before the time of Christ," writes Claude Townsend, a Master Gardener with the Bexar County, Texas Extension Service. However, the University of Wisconsin Extension Service says that while the branches are flexible enough to be weaved into a crown, it is more likely that another plant was utilized for the purpose.

Scientific Name

The scientific name, Euphorbia milii, also dates to the time of Christ, when King Juba -- who presided over lands in present-day Algeria -- named it after his Greek physician, Euphorbus. The second part of the name -- Milii -- honors Baron Milius, a governor of the Island of Bourbon, who initially cultivated the Crown of Thorns plant in France around 1821.

References

• Bexar County Extension Service: Euphorbia millii
• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service: Crown of Thorns