Introduction
spectacular
spurges
&
colourful
cultivars
Euphorbia ‘Miner’s Merlot’
a cultivar of Martin’s spurge
Euphorbias, commonly called spurges, represent one of the largest genera of flowering plants on the planet, with over 2,000 documented species worldwide. Adapted to a huge range of environments, they show extraordinary variation from tiny cactus-like succulents to leafy shrubs and even trees.
Some, such as the crown of thorns and Christmas Poinsettia, make good houseplants.
Among hardy varieties for the garden, there are dozens to choose from, often prized for their architectural qualities, year-round colour, and bright spring bracts.
In this article, I will share my experience of five garden-worthy varieties that are easy to grow in the UK, all of which are drought tolerant once established:
- Myrtle spurge — full sun
- Martin’s spurge — for full sun
- Mediterranean spurge — sun/shade
- Wood spurge — shade
- Robb’s spurge — shade
Garden Design Value
These Euphorbias have many characteristics that make them desirable in the garden.
Growth pattern
For a start, they have an interesting two-year growth cycle, consisting of long stems with whorls (or rosettes) of leaves, which are often eye-catching in their own right.
In the first year, leafy stems grow from the base which hold their foliage through the winter, making these perennials effectively evergreen.
In the second year they develop terminal flower heads which often last until late summer, at which point they start dying and can be cut back to give room for the new growth to come through.
Foliage
The spurges in this article all have pointed leaves arranged in spirals along their stems. The backs of the leaves are often coloured red or purple and this colouration continues in the stems of young shoots and sometimes flowers.
I find them striking and photogenic at many different points in the year: the unfurling flowering shoots in spring; the rosettes of spiral foliage in deep winter; the strange, snake-like stems — often bare towards the base — rise intriguingly through surrounding plants.
Many garden spurges have attractive foliage
like this Myrtle spurge (December)
Colourful leaves and flower bracts of
Euphorbia ‘Baby Charm’ (March)
Flowers
The flowers of Euphorbias are also unique, relying on cup-shaped bracts, rather than sepals and petals. These unusual flowering structures are often colourful and highly elaborated. Unlike petals, bracts are tough, persisting long after pollination.
Rabbit and deer resistant
All parts of the plant are toxic due to the plant’s irritant milky sap, which means they are ignored by rabbits and deer. Even so, the nectar produced by the flowers attracts plenty of pollinators, especially hover flies.
Design characteristics
The Euphorbias covered in this article have many qualities that make them ideal for the serious gardener:
- They are evergreen
- Long flowering period
- Architectural form
- Hardy and drought tolerant
- Varieties suitable for sun or shade
Soil requirements
In this article I focus on spurges that thrive in well-drained, often unimproved soils, where they are tough as old boots. Their main enemy is winter wet — they hate sitting in waterlogged soils.
A spurge for every situation
There are so many garden spurges, that one can be found to suit almost any garden situation. In the table below I list varieties of different sizes, and soil requirements, including ones that can grow in sun or shade, dry or boggy soils.
(All photos in this article are mine, mostly shot in my own garden)
LARGE / UPRIGHT
60-120 cm | 24-48 in
IN THIS ARTICLE
E. characias ‘Silver Swan’
(Silver-grey 80x80cm E,D)
OTHERS LARGE SPURGES
E. characias subsp. wulfenii
(120x120cm E,D)
E. griffithii ‘Fireglow’
(damp/boggy soil, 80x90cm H,M)
E. palustris
(marginal plant, 1mx1m H,M)
MEDIUM
35-50 cm | 14-20 in
IN THIS ARTICLE
E. × martini ‘Baby Charm’
(40x50cm E,D)
E. amygdaloides
(40x45cm E,D)
E. amygdaloides var. robbiae
(45×80+cm E,D)
OTHERS MEDIUM SPURGES
E. rigida
(60x60cm E,D)
E. × martini
(60x60cm E,D)
E. corallioides
(summer flowering, 50x50cm H,D)
SMALL / SPREADING
10-30 cm | 6-12 in
IN THIS ARTICLE
E. myrsinites
(lax/spreading; 20cm x 75cm E,D)
OTHERS SMALL SPURGES
E. cyparissias
(invasive; 25cm x indefinite H,D)
E. deflexa
(clump forming, 30x30cm, H,)
E. peplus
(garden weed, 15x5cm, H,D)
E = Evergreen, stems/foliage remain over winter
H = Herbaceous, stems/foliage dies back to ground over winter
D = Tolerates dry soil M = Prefers moist soil
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Myrtle spurge »
So very useful, inormative, inspiring. Unable to express my enthusiasm und my gratitute in words. The WORLD’s best garden blog, ever!
Thank you so much Monica! I’ve been working on this article on and off for over a year. It took a big push over the last few weeks to get it finished, so I’m grateful for your appreciation.