|
|
Height
|
Spread
|
Bloom time
|
|
|
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'
A relatively short dense form with reddish stems, beautifully purple-tinged leaves and some purple shading in the flower clusters. On the coast, the flowering season extends from mid-spring into summer.
Hardy to 10oF. or less.
|
12-18"
|
24"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Blackbird'
Blackbird has a compact, bushy habit with exceptionally dark purple velvety foliage, especially when grown in full sun. Heads of yellow-green bracts appear in spring on reddish stems.
Tolerant of Central Valley heat and cold hardy to nearly 0°F.
|
18-22"
|
22"
|
Mar-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Blue Haze'
Forms a dense mound of powder blue foliage and produces masses of contrasting yellow-green/soft yellow flowers in summer. Has red-tinted stems.
|
12-18"
|
24"
|
Jul-Aug
|
|
|
Euphorbia characias
An interesting plant! The plants produce several thick, leafy stems from a woody base. The leaves are up to 4" long, rather narrow and colored an unusual steely grey-green. In late winter and early spring the flower clusters unfold at the tips of second-year stems, becoming broad towers as much as a foot long. The floral leaves and bracts are brilliant chartreuse/yellow and hold their color well for several weeks after the flowers have gone. The small flowers are bright green, making a pleasant contrast.
|
39"'
|
36"
|
Feb-Mar
|
|
|
Euphorbia characias 'Glacier Blue'
A compact vigorous plant with cream-edged blue green foliage. Blooms February through May.
Glacier Blue is similar to Tasmanian Tiger, but is more compact and the foliage is bluer.
Hardy to 0-10°F.
|
12-15"
|
15-18"
|
Feb-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii
A bold architectural plant with sturdy upright stems that form a large dome-shaped bush. Chartreuse flowers in large cylindrical clusters bloom in late winter/early spring and hold their color for a long time.
Cut out old stems at the base after the flowers have faded.
|
48"
|
48"
|
Feb-Mar
|
|
No picture available
|
Euphorbia 'Cherokee'
|
15"
|
15"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Excalibur'
Young foliage has a rich red tint which matures to gray-green edged in maroon with a pronounced white midrib.
Late summer yields long-lasting lemon yellow bracts.
Stems are coral burgundy through spring and summer and become more pronounced as fall progresses
|
30-36"
|
30"
|
Jul-Aug
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'First Blush'
A low-growing variegated variety with a semi-upright, mounding habit. First Blush has pale green, slightly crinkled foliage with white margins. New growth is tinged rose-pink.
The flower buds appear with a pink blush, hence the name. Bright yellow flowers cover the plant in spring and fade to match the foliage as they mature..
|
12"
|
12-15"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'
This species spreads by underground rhizomes to make small colonies. Fireglow has arching 2-3' stems lined by long, narrow, dark green leaves. These are tinged with red when young and turn bright orange in fall and winter. The large, open flower clusters have showy orange-red bracts.
Hardy to around 0oF.
|
30-36"
|
24"
|
May-Aug
|
|
|
Euphorbia lambii
This shrub from the Canary Islands looks like something from a Dr. Suess book. It produces a thick erect trunk that branches off; each branch being capped with a cluster of long yellowish-green leaves in the spring. Bunches of circular greenish-yellow bracts rise above the foliage in spring.
Protect from persistent hard frosts as it is hardy only down to about 25 to 30°F.
|
10'
|
3'
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia x martinii
A natural hybrid between E. amygdaloides and E. characias. The sturdy, upright stems and thick, narrow leaves resemble those of E. characias, but their beautiful reddish purple shading when young and the smaller plant size suggest the second parent. The flower clusters are carried well above the foliage and are several inches long, with bright green to chartreuse leaves and bracts surrounding dark red nectar glands.
|
24"
|
24"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia x martinii 'Rudolph'
Spring blooms are the typical chartreuse with a red center. In fall/winter as night temperatures start to drop, Rudolph begins to produce red flower bracts and these "noses" are usually fully developed in time for a colorful display during the holidays.
As with many of the euphorbias, some loss of lower foliage is normal as cooler weather sets in, so skirt the base with low-growing plants.
|
18-24"
|
24"
|
Mar-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia myrsinites
Has a low-growing prostrate habit. Stout trailing 1' long stems have clasping spirally-arranged blue-gray leaves. The stems rise up at the tips from which the flowers emerge in late winter/early spring. The flowers and bracts are initially greenish-yellow but deepen to a red hue by summer.
Tolerant of winter cold, summer heat and little irrigation. Trim out old stems as they yellow. Short lived in warm winter climates, but will usually reseed. Good in a rock garden setting, as a container plant or a small scale groundcover. Looks nice trailing over a wall.
|
3-6"
|
12"
|
Feb-Mar
|
|
|
Euphorbia polychroma
See E. epithymoides
|
|
|
|
|
|
Euphorbia polychroma 'Bonfire'
Unlike other spurges that turn red in fall, 'Bonfire' smolders red all summer long. Green spring foliage quickly turns to rich maroon red. Glowing chartreuse-gold flowers contrast strikingly in spring. Forms neat, uniform rounded mounds.
Divide every two to three years or as needed. Late-summer cutback can be beneficial if plants start to "birdnest."
|
12-18"
|
18"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Red Wing'
Forms a compact mound of blue-green foliage. In late winter the developing flower stems and flower clusters turn deep red. In spring the copious flower bracts open to a sulfur yellow which hides the foliage below.
Red Wing is similar to 'Red Martin' but is more compact and floriferous. Has a reputation as a good landscape variety because of its sturdy tidy habit that maintains its shape over time.
|
12-20"
|
24"
|
Apr-May
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Shorty'
Has attractive gray-green foliage that is lighter in color than E. characias ssp. wulfenii. Shorty has a compact, mounding growth habit.
Foliage mellows to a softer green, tinged with glowing rosy tips in fall. Colder weather intensifies the color. Large bright yellow flower heads appear in later winter and are a sharp-looking contrast to the fresh new growth.
|
15-18"
|
18"
|
Feb-Mar
|
|
|
Euphorbia ‘Tasmanian Tiger'
Upright stems are clothed with distinctively variegated blue-green leaves edged in creamy white. The stems are topped with broad heads of flowers in summer. The bracts are the chartreuse so typical of many euphorbias, but are also plainly margined with white.
Looks great with bold dark foliage plants like Phormium 'Dark Delight,' P. ‘Platts Black' or dark-leaved selections of Aeonium.
|
24-36"
|
24-36"
|
May-Jun
|
|
|
Euphorbia 'Tiny Tim'
A sport of E. x martini selected for its smaller, compact habit. It forms a tight mound that's maintained through the summer.
The stems are burgundy and the foliage is green with a burgundy underside. The bracts are chartreuse and contrast nicely with the light cream flowers with red centers. Blooms for ages apparently.
|
10-12"
|
12-18"
|
Apr-May
|
