Spurge
Wed, 08/05/2009 - 12:19pm — Kathy Ormiston
Photo Credit:
Vera Kark, PADG
Botanical Name:
Euphorbia
Pronunciation:
(yew-FOR-bee-ah)
Common Name:
Spurge
Plant Type:
Perennial
Mature Size:
3 ft. to 4 ft. high and wide
Water Requirements:
Low: water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
Sun/Shade Requirements:
Full sun
Half sun
Flower Color :
Chartreuse, yellow or lime green
Wildlife:
This plant is deer resistant
These perennials from the Mediterranean Basin have done very well in the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden. Euphorbias are tough as nails. The chartreuse or lime green flowers appear in late winter and hold well through spring. Euphorbias are very showy in the winter garden and continue looking good during the hot summer.
Euphorbias can be aggressive reseeders so cut off the flower stalks at the base sometime in May before they set seed. Be careful of the sap as it may irritate the skin. We let the cuttings dry an hour before tossing them in the recycling bin.
Hundreds of varieties of Eurphorbias are available ranging from groundcovers to shrubs.