Cushion spurge

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; light afternoon shade is helpful in hot climates.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once established, water during prolonged drought rather than keeping the soil constantly moist.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates poor soil and a broad pH range. Avoid waterlogged ground, especially in winter.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Mid- to late spring, sometimes into early summer; tiny yellow flowers surrounded by conspicuous yellow-green bracts that age towards green.

Foliage

Soft green, oval to narrowly oblong leaves on upright stems forming a rounded mound; leaves may turn yellow, orange or red in autumn before dying back.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.32 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Wear gloves and long sleeves when cutting or dividing; keep the milky sap away from your face.
• Water new plants when the root zone begins to dry, but do not leave them sitting in wet soil.
• Avoid heavy feeding; a light spring dressing of compost is usually sufficient.
• Keep mulch clear of the crown, and use gravel around plants in sites prone to winter damp.
• Remove spent flowering stems before seed ripens if you do not want seedlings.

Pruning. After the bracts fade, shorten flowering stems by about one-third if the mound becomes loose, or remove spent heads to limit seeding. Cut dead stems to ground level in late autumn or late winter, before new growth begins.

Late winter

Cut away remaining dead stems before new shoots emerge, wearing gloves.

Spring

Plant in freely draining soil and water thoroughly; divide established clumps as growth starts if needed.

Late spring

Remove fading flower heads before seed ripens if seedlings would be unwelcome.

Summer

Water young plants during dry spells; give established plants water only during prolonged drought.

Autumn

Enjoy any autumn leaf colour, remove unwanted seedlings and check that fallen leaves are not smothering the crown.

Winter

Keep drainage channels clear and avoid watering dormant plants in already moist ground.

• Repeat rounded clumps along the front of a sunny border for a clear spring rhythm.
• Pair with purple alliums or blue catmint for a strong contrast with the yellow-green bracts.
• Plant among gravel and rocks where its mound softens hard edges without needing rich soil.
• Combine with spring bulbs so its emerging foliage helps disguise their fading leaves.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Dry gravel garden, Low-maintenance, New perennial (prairie) and Modern rustic.

Plant it with: Ornamental onions, Catmint, Bearded iris, Hardy geraniums, Daffodils and Lamb's ears.

Wildlife: The small, accessible flowers provide food for visiting bees, flies and other insects. Deer and rabbits usually avoid the foliage, although no plant is completely browse-proof.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised, freely draining position; discard badly rotted plants.
• Loose, floppy growth in deep shade or rich soil: provide more sun and stop high-nitrogen feeding.
• Aphids on soft growth: wash them off with water and allow ladybirds and other predators to control small colonies.
• Unwanted seedlings: remove spent heads before seeds mature and pull young seedlings while small, wearing gloves.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. All parts contain irritating milky sap, which can cause mouth irritation, vomiting and diarrhoea; skin contact may cause dermatitis, and sap in the eyes can cause serious injury. Keep away from grazing animals and places where children or pets may chew it; seek urgent medical advice for eye exposure.

• Cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)

  Has much finer, needle-like leaves and spreads into colonies through creeping roots rather than forming a compact cushion. It is invasive in parts of North America.

• Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

  Usually grows taller, with narrow leaves and more open clusters of yellow-green bracts. It spreads strongly through an extensive root system and is a serious invasive weed in parts of North America.

• Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides)

  Typically has persistent dark green leaves, often with reddish stems, and looser flower clusters rather than cushion spurge's dense, deciduous mound.

The common name describes its cushion-shaped growth, while polychroma comes from Greek words meaning 'many-coloured', referring to its changing colours.

Propagation. Divide established clumps carefully in early spring, keeping roots and shoots on each section. Sow fresh seed when ripe, but expect seedlings of named cultivars to differ from the parent; wear gloves whenever handling cut stems or roots.

Accepted botanical name

Euphorbia epithymoides Euphorbia polychroma is an older name for Euphorbia epithymoides.

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kriti, Libya, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

Measured

Average height 40 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.