Euphorbias in the Garden

Euphorbia sikkimensis - a deciduous hardy herbaceous Euphorbia x pasteurii - a hardy bispecific . perennial from the eastern Himalaya. evergreen shrub.

Wild Euphorbias can be found growing on every continent except Antarctica and in a wide range of habitats from hot sunny desert to forest shade, coastal habitats to high mountain pastures and tropical to temperate regions. As such there are Euphorbias that can be grown in every garden location from wet to dry, sun or shade and in a variety of soils from heavy to free draining. Many are evergreen so give interest throughout the winter months. The main flowering period is April to June but there are species that flower throughout the summer and into the autumn.

Below are some lists of Euphorbias for different garden situations and others giving colour at different times of the year.

GOOD WINTER FOLIAGE

These are obviously evergreen, but give a variety of winter foliage colour. The foliage is especially attractive with a covering of frost.

E. characias ‘Purple and Gold’
E. characias variegated forms e.g. ‘Silver Swan’ ‘Glacier Blue’ or ‘Emmer Green’
E. x pasteurii - (shrub)
E. mellifera – (shrub)
E. ‘Velvet Ruby’
E. ‘Whistleberry Garnet’
E. rigida ‘Sardis’

EARLY FLOWERING (JAN. - MAR.)

All these are also evergreen, and by late winter ( mid March) there are many other good varieties to choose from. Some will continue to flower up to June.

E. characias subsp. Wulfenii
E. characias ‘Humpty Dumpty’
E. rigida
E. Redwing
E. amygdaloides var. Robbiae
E. amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’

SPRING STAR PERFORMERS (APRIL - JUNE)

This is the peak flowering time so there is plenty of choice but these are some of my favourites These plants respond to plenty of sunshine but will cope with some shade for part of the day.

E. epithymoides (syn. polychroma) ‘Golden Fusion’ ‘Major’ or ‘Midas’
E. characias subsp. Wulfenii
E. fragifera
E. griffithii ‘Dixter’ or ‘Fireglow’
E. palustris
E. villosa

SUMMER FLOWERING (JUNE - AUG.)

Apart from E. ceratocarpa (which is evergreen and comes from Sicily), the best summer-flowering forms are all deciduous and come from the Himalaya region.