Five Great Drought-Tolerant Euphorbias

Growth

The Myrtle spurge grows as a sprawling mass of trailing stems radiating out from a central point. As with all the euphorbias in this article, the stems follow a two-year cycle with vegetative growth in the first year, which remains green over winter. In the following spring, flowers emerge from the tips of these shoots. By late summer, after producing seed pods, these stems die-back, at which point they should be pruned out to make way for the new crop of stems emerging from the base. Because of this growth pattern plants remain interesting all year round and are effectively evergreen.

For several years, the plant increases in diameter, reaching up to 4ft (1.2m) across in 3-4 years. Stems rarely rise more than 6in (15cm) unless scrambling over adjacent plants. They happily spread out over the ground, and will tumble down banks or walls effectively. Foliage is concentrated towards the growing tips of these shoots, with the rear half of the stems becoming bare. Although the foliage and growing tips need direct sun to do their best, the bare stems can tolerate shade which enables the myrtle spurge to scramble between adjacent perennials.

Given well-drained soil, plants are hardy and reliably perennial. Although considered short-lived, I have plants in my garden that are at least six years old and still doing well. Eventually, though, the central stems become woody, or begins to rot, leading to sudden deterioration. Fortunately, there are often seedlings somewhere nearby to replace them.

Myrtle Spurge – Across the Year

Details Gallery ◀▶
A close up look at Myrtle Spurge

Planting Ideas

1. Colour
The dusky blue-grey leaves of Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) beautifully complement pastel colours, including silver, purples, pinks and pale blue flowers. The acid-yellow spring flowers harmonise with an all-green scheme — for example, looking wonderful alongside clipped box — while complementing dark blues and purples.

2. Front of border
Because it is low growing, Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) lends itself to being planted at the front of the border. The photo below shows it in a sunny well-drained bed in my garden with larger perennials behind it, including the salmon flowered Verbascum ‘Carribbean crush’ and violet Salvia ‘Caradonna’. Later in the year, Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) creates a complementary background in silvery blue tones.

3. With narrow-stemmed bulbs and perennials
Slim stemmed perennials and bulbs such as Alliums, can be planted close to the Myrtle spurge as they can easily grow up through its wide spreading stems, while casting little shade. In my border (above), blue and white flowers of Brodiaea ‘Rudy’ can be seen poking up through the spurge, while in the bottom-right, tall-stemmed Verbena bonariensis has seeded itself in a good spot.

4. With upright plants
Perennials that form an upright, or vase shape, can be planted closer to Myrtle spurge than those that arch or form domes, as they allow sufficient light to reach the spurge’s stems. Tall stonecrops such as Sedum ‘Matrona’ could work well. Well spaced bulbs such of Camassia would also cohabit peaceably.

5. A perfect partner: Sedum ‘Plum Dazzled’
One of my most successful combinations is growing Euphorbia myrsinites alongside the dwarf Sedum ‘Plum Dazzled’. In the spring, the yellow flowers of the spurge contrast wonderfully with the dark purple foliage of the stonecrop (above). The display continues to dazzle in late summer, when the fresh new foliage of the spurge looks striking against the deep pink stonecrop flowers (below).

6. Other suitable small perennials
I have found Myrtle spurge plays well with other small or creeping perennials, herbs and alpines, including:

• Creeping thyme
  (Thymus serpyllum)
• Dwarf marjoram
• Chives / Garlic chives
• Sedum spurium
• Small Sisyrinchium varieties
• Verbenas
• Geranium sanguinium
• Dianthus ‘Flashing lights’
• Aubretia
• Thrift (Armeria marítima)
• Phlox
• Erigeron ‘Sea breeze’
• Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Nana’ 

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