Perennial Euphorbias have been growing in popularity in the last few years. There are exciting developments in the genus – but clean stock is key.
Perennial Euphorbias are great plants for beds and borders and many of them, particularly the coloured leaf varieties, offer a very long season. Flowers in spring, interesting foliage through the summer and good autumn colours mean that they can be offered to consumers throughout the year.
Euphorbia x martinii Ascot Rainbow has been in the market for more than a decade and is undoubtedly the best-selling variety. With variegated leaves and a tight compact habit, it makes a great plant for retail sales. It works well in mixed planters with other foliage items like Dichondra and Ipomoea, perhaps combined with a dark grass like Pennisetum x advena Chelsea.
But there are new developments in the genus to look out for. Farplants Sales are launching Euphorbia x martinii Walberton’s® Little Treasure® this year. It is even more compact than Ascot Rainbow, with pure golden yellow foliage that is particularly bright in spring, yellow flowers and rusty red young growth. This looks stunning when planted together with dark purple foliage Heuchera, for example.
Also launching later in 2025 is Euphorbia Walberton’s® Embers Glow. This is a hybrid between Euphorbia polychroma and Euphorbia griffithii. It is a long-lived garden perennial with attractive leaves and showy heads of rusty flowers in April and May – perfect for spring sales. Before the leaves drop in the autumn, they briefly turn fiery orange, giving some autumn fireworks!
The key to success with Euphorbia is ensuring mother stock is disease free. Plants For Europe works with the best tissue culture companies and unrooted cutting producers to ensure that the mother stock is maintained to the highest standards. Healthy plants grow more strongly, finish more quickly, have naturally better branching and offer reduced wastage and grade-out for growers.
