Spurge

There are hundreds of different spurges -- and most are valued by gardeners because they're drought-resistant and almost always ignored by deer and rabbits. Spurges are surefire picks for adding color to the garden. Many also turn gorgeous colors in the fall, enlivening the fall garden.

Light:

Sun,Part Sun

Zones:

3-10

Plant Type:

Annual,Perennial

Plant Height:

1-3 feet tall

Plant Width:

1-3 feet wide

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders,Slopes,Groundcover

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Fall Color,Deer Resistant,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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'Blue Haze' spurge

Euphorbia 'Blue Haze' produces eye-catching chartreuse flowers in late spring to early summer on blue-green foliage that grows 18 inches tall. Zones 7-9
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'Bonfire' spurge

Euphorbia 'Bonfire' shows off rich maroon foliage from spring to fall. In spring it also bears clusters of chartreuse flowers. It grows 1 foot tall and wide. Zones 5-9
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Cushion spurge

Euphorbia polychroma develops shades of chartreuse, yellow, burgundy, red, and orange through the seasons. In fall the foliage turns brilliant red, maroon, and orange. It grows 12 to 20 inches tall. Zones 3-10
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Cypress spurge

Euphorbia cyparissias grows upright, resembling a tiny spruce or cypress tree, but the plant spreads to form a bushy groundcover. It produces chartreuse bracts, which age to red. Zones 4-8
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Excalibur spurge

Euphorbia 'Froeup' is sometimes called Excalibur. Growing 2 to 3 feet tall, its foliage emerges with a red tint, matures to deep green, and takes on yellow tones in fall. Zones 5-8
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'Glacier Blue' spurge

Euphorbia characias 'Glacier Blue' grows 2 feet tall and wide and is prized for its white-edge, gray-green foliage. The flowers, which appear in spring, are cream with green centers. Zones 7-11
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Gopher spurge

Euphorbia rigida has narrow, pointed blue-green leaves and chartreuse blooms in spring. It grows 2 feet tall and wide. Zones 7-10
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Griffith's spurge

Euphorbia griffithii has green foliage with a purplish-red tinge; it turns orange-red in fall. It produces small yellow flowers surrounded by showy orange-red bracts on plants up to 3 feet tall. Zones 4-9
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Helena's Blush spurge

Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Inneuphhel' Helena's Blush bears green foliage edged in white and pink and chartreuse-variegated bracts. It grows 20 inches tall and is often grown as an annual. Zones 6-9
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Hybrid spurge

Euphorbia x martinii is a shrubby plant 3 feet tall with reddish-purple leaves. It bears chartreuse bracts (petals) with small red flowers. Zones 7-10
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'Lacey' cushion spurge

Euphorbia polychroma 'Lacey' is a selection with creamy-white edges on its leaves. Zones 3-10
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Garden Plans

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Lush Foliage Garden Plan
Easy Street-Side Garden Plan
Design for a Moon Garden
Mailbox Garden
Patio Garden
Walk to Front Door 2
Side-Yard Cottage Garden Plan
Low-Water Garden Plan

Plant It With

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Phlox

Hot-pink creeping phlox with chartreuse cushion spurge makes an electrifying combination. After they finish blooming, both carry attractive foliage through the rest of the season.

Penstemon

Penstemon bears spikes of tubular bell-shape blooms in purple, pink, blue, or red, all of which combine beautifully with spurges in sunny borders.

New Zealand flax

The spiky foliage of New Zealand flax creates a wonderful contrast to the mounded form of spurge.

Propagation

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Seed
Division