Euphorbias in the garden

Euphoria about Euphorbias

This is a follow up to my previous article on this fantastic genus of garden plants. Let us have a look at those euphorbias that have been recommended for mediterranean climate gardens, never forgetting that these are also high on the list of rabbit-proof plants for all gardens.



At the risk of whetting your appetite for plants that cannot be found for sale here, most of these come readily from seed or cuttings so seek them out in your normal seed catalogues or, if you are really lucky, maybe you will find a friendly gardener willing to pass on cuttings or self-sown seedlings.

Shrubs

Euphorbia acanthothamnus summer colour

• Euphorbia acanthothamnos, a spiny plant which forms a rounded shape to a height of about 50cm. Native to  Greece and Turkey this is one of those euphorbias which is summer dormant and deciduous. It sheds the unwanted leaves early in the summer after flowering and seeding, exposing a mass of thorny stems which look just like chicken wire ! A great way to put off grazing goats.
• E. ceratocarpa  is an excellent garden plant from Sicily and Southern Italy. It has fine woody stems which produce some of the longest lived Euphorbia flowers, covering itself with a mass of vibrant lime-yellow from March through the summer, and sometimes through to Christmas. Very hardy but will enjoy a sunny situation. Up to 1m and old flower stems can be trimmed out in late winter. This should grow well from seed.
• E. dendroides is very common throughout the Mediterranean Basin, but strangely not in Portugal. This grows to about 2m and flowers profusely from March to May, there is then the rather bizarre spectacle of autumn colour in June and July before the plant goes into summer dormancy. Following the first rains of the autumn it produces new bright leaves and grows new terminal stems. One of the many plants which will die if given summer water. 

Euphorbia dendroides in summer colour 

Short lived plants

• E. coralloides is a relatively short lived plant from Southern Italy and Sicily.  When established it will seed around and the pretty coral-pink upright stems which give it it´s name are topped with yellow stems from May to July.  It can grow up to 1m and is a good filler in a garden bed or border.
• E. paralias is a beach plant, found in dunes with grasses and often with the lovely sea daffodil, Pancratium maritimum, from Coastal Europe and North Africa and a British native it can be found as far as Israel. It is small fine leaved plant, pale blue-grey foliage with small yellow flowers from May to August. This is not a plant for soggy soils or cold hillsides, it prefers sand and good drainage and tolerates salty conditions.

Perennials

Euphorvia characias tumbling down a bank 

• E. characias subsp. characias & subsp. Wulfenii, some classic plants for mediterranean gardens, they associate well with bright sun and bright colours. Lovely large fat lime green flower heads to about 1m tall and with many named varieties. From the Western Mediterranean but they are found in the wild on the Algarve in humid zones. One named variety ´Portuguese Velvet´ was collected from the West Coast of the Algarve. 
• E. ´Copton Ash´, is a form of E. seguiriana with a garden origin. The species originates from Central Europe and Pakistan which explains the good drought resistance, indeed winter wet may well kill it. The pale blue evergreen leaves are a good contrast for the yellow flowers from June to August. It may gently seed around so look out for and transplant seedlings if they occur. 
• E. myrsinites is one of those which may look like a succulent on the first encounter, with thick pale grey stems, round-edged but pointed waxed blue grey leaves all giving the impression of the true sun lover. Lime green rounded flower heads top these stems in March and April. This is from Southern Europe, N. Africa and Central Asia and needs dry conditions with excellent drainage, a great plant for steps or on stone walls where the stems will not contact wet soil. This will seed around if happy so look out for free plants !
• E. x nicaensis is named Nice Spurge although it occurs from Southern Europe to Central Asia. There are various forms available with blue-grey foliage and lime-yellow flowers from May to August. In hot climates it should seed around and is difficult from cuttings. 

There is more information on euphorbias available on www.gardeninginportugal.com Maybe you already have your favourite euphorbias and they are not listed above, maybe this list will inspire you to grow more of this very interesting and distinctive plant family. Either way, no garden is complete without some euphorbias so take advantage of their diversity and enjoy the contribution they can make to a mediterranean garden.