Hardy Euphorbias - Part 2: Euphorbias -- Once a spurge, always a spurge!

» bindweed - Euphorbias -- Once a spurge, always a spurge!

Nonethess, it may surprise you that I have been yanking many of them out. E. amygdaloides var. robbiae was the first to go! Dan Hinkley's caveat of "romping attitude; site carefully.", actually reads ... this is a plant on steroids. It will seed everywhere. So will most of these critters. Some are very stoloniferous, so be very careful about sitting these plants. E. cyparissias and E. griffithi 'Fireglow' are two that come to mind.

The chartreuse yellow of some of these Euphorbias may look super with Rodgersia or Cimicifuga "Brunette" but so do yellow Millium and Hakenochlea.

Polychroma and myrsinites I use often and rarely have I been disappointed. E. wulfenii is another Eurphorbia I greatly admire.

As for hardiness I think a great many of them will thrive in a zone 5 or six. E. characias being the exception. (It also dislikes our winter rain ... good drainage is important.) This too has been a recent deletion! CLAY SOIL!

My own mistakes! A few years ago I planted E griffithi 'Fireglow' with some Aster frikartii, thinking the combination would be great. The aster's died for neglect:-( and I sorta forgot about the dormant E. That spring I planted some more drought tolerant Cistus. Very pink and incredibly godawful when the orange Euphorbia appeared. It looked much nicer across a bordering stream with a bank of Rodgersia and Gunnera on the other side.

E. myrsinites remains one of my favorites for the rock garden wall. I once interplanted Love lies Bleeding thinking of the gray/silver purple combination. Imagine my surprise when an upstart California poppy intruded. The orange to gray was beyond belief. The Purple of the dwarf Love lies Bleeding helped as well.

As for keeping with with deadheading the seedheads, I have never quite succeeded ... so palustris and others simply overwhelmed their placements. (Same for Hellebores!)

E. cyprissas -- has also been designated as a noxious weed in some states, so be forewarned. Also a warning, the sap of these plants can be very irritating to some people. So when deadheading, wear gloves or wash your hands after handling. You do not want that sap to go to your eyes.

I also have a lovely purple foliaged form, that is super attractive, but like most, seeds all over!

Sorry, for my "rueful" commentary. One other note, vigor, weediness and other such problems may not be as much of a problem in other areas of the country. What becomes a weed here in the Pacific Northwest, may not be such a problem in another part of California. California's experience with Pampas Grass self-sowing, has not been a problem up here.

Add the beautiful Crocosmia 'Lucifer' to my list of overly adventuresome plants.

P.S. Just after I finished editing out some E. wulfenii's, my employer came home with E. griffithi. Oh well, I will simply call it my employment annuity!

-- posted by bindweed