Meanings
- uncountableA perennial succulent spurge, native to tropical and subtropical North and Central America, of species Euphorbia tithymaloides (formerly known as Pedilanthus tithymaloides).
For years the matriarchs of the family grew a plant they called "devil's back," short for "devil's backbone." It's considered a subtropical succulent with variegated leaves.
2017 April 4, Betsy Singleton Snyder, Stepping on Cheerios: Finding God in the Chaos and Clutter of Life, Abingdon Press, →ISBN2 more examples
Among the ornamentals that are commonly seen in but not native to Indonesia are a pink-flowered Dombeya, some Bauhinias or orchid trees, […] and trumpet vine. To this list may also be added yellow Allamanda, some kinds of Hibiscus, an Aloe, crown of thorns, shrimp plant, "Singapore holly" (neither a holly nor from Singapore), devil's backbone or slipperflower, Plumbago, Cape-honey-suckle, […]
1973, Wilfred T. Neill, Twentieth-century Indonesia, Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 74Some say the flowers of devil's backbone look like cardinals perched around a feeder, each flower a long-tailed red teardrop that gives rise to another common name, red bird cactus.
2012 August 15, Nellie Neal, “Devil's Backbone (Euphorbia tithymaloides)”, in Gardener's Guide to Tropical Plants: Cool Ways to Add Hot Colors, Bold Foliage, and Striking Textures, Cool Springs Press, →ISBN, page 105Synonyms: redbird cactus, slipperflower, zigzag plant
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA perennial succulent spurge, native to tropical and subtropical North and Central America, of species Euphorbia tithymaloides (formerly known as Pedilanthus tithymaloides).
Translations
Spanish ítamo real
- ítamo realEuphorbia tithymaloides
Cite this entry
devil's backbone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devil's%20backbone
“devil's backbone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devil's%20backbone. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “devil's backbone,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devil's%20backbone.
Source: devil's backbone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.