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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Euphorbiaceae (Spurges) |
| Origin: Mediterranean (Europe) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Chartreuse |
| Bloomtime: Winter/Spring |
| Synonyms: [Euphorbia biglandulosa] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 0-10° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Euphorbia rigida (Silver Spurge) Upright small shrub to 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide with attractive steel blue-green 1 1/2 inch lance shaped leaves arranged in tight spirals around the thick upright stems. In late winter and spring at branch tips appear the domed clusters of small green flowers with showy chartreuse-yellow bracts that age to a reddish tan color, as the flowering stems dies back. The leaves can take on these red hues in late fall as well. Plant in full to part sun in a soil that drains but tolerates poor dry rocky soil and irrigate occasionally to infrequently. Hardy to around 0°F. This plant is not attractive to browsing animals. Will seed itself around, but not too weedy and preventable by removing stems to their base after flowering with new growth suckering from the base. Use care as with other Euphorbia the sap can cause a reaction with skin and eyes. This plant is native to the Mediterranean Basin from Portugal east through Italy, Greece and Albania into Turkey and the Crimea and on the islands of Sicily and Crete. The name for the genus is derived from Euphorbus, the Greek physician of king Juba II of Numidia and later of of Mauritania, who in 12 B.C. named a cactus-like this plant that had purgative qualities after his physician. Carl Linnaeus assigned the name Euphorbia to the entire genus. The specific epithet is in reference to the erect stems compared with the similar looking but prostrate Myrtle Spurge, Euphorbia myrsinites. For this reason it sometimes called Upright Myrtle Spurge and also is called Gopher Spurge, a name usually associated with Euphorbia lathyris. Image on this page from Arizona State Univerity. Unfortunately we are having a hard time getting seed of this item.
The information about Euphorbia rigida displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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