Hardy Euphorbias - Part 2: Re:I have your Euphorbia

» Marge_Talt - Re:I have your Euphorbia

Hiya Holly...been wondering how you were doing...think of you every time I water the brug babies:-)

Well, I don't remember which euphorb I gave you - does it have red-purple foliage? The evergreen kind all bloom on old wood and when blooming is done and those stems start to look ratty (can be some time after the actual flowers fade), then cut them back to the ground or sometimes you'll see new sprouts coming out of the base of a stem, so cut just above those. If you trim the evergreen euphorbs back before they bloom, you will never see flowers:-)

If you want them to seed around for you, be sure to wait until the seedpods have ripened and shed their seed - that's when the flower stems start to look ratty. Then, next spring keep an eye out around the mother plant for seedlings - will have 2 oval, rather thick blue-green leaves and the stem will probably be stained red for part of its length.

With a hard winter, like this past one, there will be damage to the mature stems - you will be able to see this as the tops just die. Those you need to remove as they won't do anything. I lost a bunch of clumps of euphorbs this winter - usually happens when winters are severe - but since they seed about so joyfully, I see lots of babies sprouting around, so will have more for future years.

If happy, that brunnera will start to seed around like mad. If you want another one, email me and we'll figure a time when you can stop by...I have tons of them.

If you want seedlings, don't cut back the flower stems until they turn black and half rotted and really get on your nerves.

No, haven't seen that Ann Lovejoy book...will have to keep an eye out for it.

-- posted by Marge_Talt