Adenia globosa

A shrub of the Passifloraceae family which is native to South Africa where, due to its peculiar appearance, it is also widespread as an ornamental plant. In its natural habitat, its leathery trunk, tending to a green color, with a warty surface full of protuberances, can reach up to 2.5 m in diameter. A. globosa also develops a thorny and dense tangle of branches that can have an erect, strongly curved or even prostrate habit: these branches can reach up to 8 m in length, and its strong and splendid thorns with which they are covered can reach a length of 8 cm. The leaves are deciduous (they fall off during the dormant period), alternating and of a green-gray color, and unlike the trunk (which must be kept shaded) they are great lovers of light, thus they absolutely must be exposed to the sun. During the flowering period it blooms with small tubular flowers of a greenish color with a lighter yellowish interior.