Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fen's Ruby'
An itty bitty Euphorbia cultivar, 'Fen's Ruby' was planted early on in Alice's Garden, let's say... nearly a decade ago. Nothing much happened as the years passed, until now.
Fen's Ruby has become an escapee, making its way into the garden's gravel paths, where it's blooming. Atop the red-flushed stems of the new Spring growth, delicate lime-green to yellow flowers decorate the fine, thread-like textural foliage.
The plant pictured is no more than 3 inches across, if that. While the species is considered aggressive, probably invasive in many areas, this variety is found to be less so.
It generally dies back in a cold winter. And like all Euphrobias, the plant has a milky sap that's caustic. I've taken to wearing surgical gloves whenever I garden, and skin problems that troubled me have disappeared.
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Sigh, what we do for pretty plants! I love that gravel mulch, er.... pathway you've got him in!
ReplyDeleteAh Fen's Ruby, how I've been burned by thee.... I had it and had to remove it. Loved the color and texture, hated the running around. Plus once I was careless and got some of the sap on my face. I had blisters on my face where the sap had touched. I suppose if one had just the right place, say, surrounded by concrete and used only rubber gloves to handle it, Fen's might be worth a look.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
well. I hope I don't have to wait 10 years for my euphorbia to do something! :)
ReplyDeleteAlice:
ReplyDeleteI too love this most beguiling of species, and have found that it behaves in a most regal and well behaved manner. I adore its Spring flush of ruby, and its pinnate foliage.
I've had the same love/hate relationship with Euphorbia. Love the lime green color, but the reseeding is just too much. And I managed to wash some diluted sap into my eye and had to go to the emergency room to have it properly washed out. (Yes, I'd worn glasses, but some sap dropped on my forehead and I didn't notice.)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, though....
Sheesh the thing sounds more like an alien invasion of terra firming than a garden choice. Thanks for the warnings. LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab colour combination - nasty sap but it is pretty xx
ReplyDeleteYipes! A plant that bites back.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with this one. It is beautiful, but... Perhaps it's a good thing I don't have any.
ReplyDeleteAre all euphorbias prolific self seeders and spreaders? I just planted my first ones ever...they are small, and i've placed them in garden areas close to other flowering plants to fill in spaces. Perhaps I should take them out now and move them to an area where I won't mind major spreading. Although, if it takes ten yrs to show up again, it shouldn't be a problem! My variety is a very dark variety called: BlackBird.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for stopping by to comment. I grow other Euphorbias & some self-sow, such as E. characias. But I'm able to easily remove the seedlings.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting is the fact that I've had no success with the showy varieties such as E. a. 'Purpurea,' 'Chameleon' and 'Golden Glory. Perhaps my garden is too wet in the winter, or not sunny enough, or the soil is too rich. Or the Ph? Hmmmmm?