Abstract:
The genus Euphorbia consists of a group of plants with a diverse morphology occurring all
over the world. In South Africa species of the succulent Euphorbia trees are mostly found in
the Northern provinces with Euphorbia ingens being the largest. In the last 10 years,
symptoms of the disease have been reported on E. ingens trees in the Limpopo Province,
which led to mass mortality. Pilot studies did not reveal a specific abiotic or biotic factor as
the primary cause of the decline and the problem seems to result from a combination of these
factors. The genus Euphorbia and specifically E. ingens is reviewed revealing the limited
information known of insects and pathogens and the associated death of these trees. Climate
change is also addressed in this review with examples from other countries as a possible
factors leading to the deaths of E. ingens. To gain a better understanding into the deaths of E.
ingens all factors will be investigated by expanding on the previous pilot studies done in the
Limpopo Province and conducting comparative studies in areas where the trees are not as
severely affected.
