This unusual African tree is Teke Spurge, Euphorbia teke.

Unlike the small spurges many people know as garden weeds, this species grows into a true tree. It develops thick branches and a broad crown adapted to warm, seasonally dry conditions.

Its flowers are not single flowers in the ordinary sense. Like other members of the Euphorbia genus, it produces tiny specialized flower clusters called cyathia. These are surrounded by glands and modified structures that make the cluster function like one flower.

After pollination, small three-part capsules develop. When mature, the capsules split and release their seeds.

Teke Spurge is native to tropical Africa, from the Congo region eastward to South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. It grows mainly in areas with distinct wet and dry seasons.

Like most euphorbias, the tree produces a white, milky latex when its bark or branches are damaged. This sap may irritate the skin and eyes and should be treated with caution.

Teke Spurge is a good reminder of just how diverse the genus Euphorbia can be—from tiny herbs and poinsettias to succulents and full-sized trees.