Euphorbia
Euphorbia milkweed, spurge
These are shrubs, succulents and perennials some of which are semi-evergreen or evergreen, and annuals. The flower heads will consist of cup-shaped bracts, in various colours, they will usually each containing several flowers lacking typical sepals and petals. They are fully hardy to frost tender, min 5-15C, and will grow well in sun or partial shade with moist but well drained soil. You can propagate by basal cuttings in the spring or summer, by division in spring or early autumn or by seeds in the autumn. The milky sap may irritate the skin.
lathyris or Cape Spurge is an upright annual/biennial, reaching 1.2m in height, with narrow, lance-shaped dark-green leaves, up to 15cm long, held in regimented horizontal pairs on unbranched stems. Small yellow-green flowers, up to 4mm in diameter, are borne from late spring into summer and are followed by green seeds held in clusters of three, ripening to brown
Classification
Common Names: milkweed, spurge, cape spurge
Family: sequieriana
Variety: longifolia amjilassa, Fens Ruby, lathyris
march0247.JPG: 2002-03-23 milkweed, spurge |
Propagation Notes
Plant Type: Perennial
Propagation:
Hardiness:
Flowering Season:
self seeding
DSC01574.JPG: 2001-07-23 Euphorbia |
march0248.JPG: 2002-03-23 milkweed, spurge |
cannot find this species in books
DSC00490.JPG: 2001-05-22 euphorbia |
20220602_164048.png: 2022-12-27 Second year growth of Euforbia |
DSC00489.JPG: 2001-05-18 |
DSC01575.JPG: 2001-07-23 |
2024-03-02: Planted 8 pods with harvested seeds indoors. Will see what they make of it. I also noticed a few seedlings in pots and in the garden that germinated in the autumn from self seeding.
2023-12-16: Harvested some seed from the flowers
2023-04-07: Harvested a few seedlings and growing them on to be planted next to the steps in front garden.
2022-10-04: True to from the cape spurge died down after the season - it is only a bi-annual.
2022-05-14: It is growing into a formidable plant and it seems to be gowing to flower this year.
2021-05-16: This spurge is growing right in the middle of other plants in the bed and I wanted to remove it, but Mari encouraged me to keep it, she likes the form of it.
2003-04-15: Attempted to grow Euphorbia from seed. It was not successfull
2001-07-03: Found this plant growing in the garden. it seems to self seed and as if the seed comes via birds from other places.