Euphorbia characias 'Blue Wonder'
Mediterranean Spurge 'Blue Wonder'
The Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias) is an upright evergreen shrub growing up to about 1.2m tall, and has stems with whorls of grey green foliage and each stem. In late spring, early summer, large flowering bracts of lime green appear each with tiny flowers within them also of a greenish yellow colour. This Spurge is native to parts of the mediterranean basin including Portugal, France, and Greece, and appreciates full sun to do well. It is hardy down to -10 °C (14 °F), although prefers to be in a well draining soil and not sitting in too much water over winter. It doesn't require much fertile soil and does well in poor soils. It does spread via underground stems and if left unchecked it can become invasive. 'Blue Wonder' is a compact dwarf form with blue-green foliage and produces greenish yellow bracts in spring.
Contributed by @simatics
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Full sun
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Very little water
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Free draining
Common name
Mediterranean Spurge 'Blue Wonder'
Latin name
Euphorbia characias 'Blue Wonder'
type
Evergreens
family
Euphorbiaceae
ph
5.0 - 7.5 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun
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Frost
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Soil
Free draining
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Water
Very little water
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
0.60 M
0.75 M
Euphorbia characias 'Blue Wonder'
The Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias) is an upright evergreen shrub growing up to about 1.2m tall, and has stems with whorls of grey green foliage and each stem. In late spring, early summer, large flowering bracts of lime green appear each with tiny flowers within them also of a greenish yellow colour. This Spurge is native to parts of the mediterranean basin including Portugal, France, and Greece, and appreciates full sun to do well. It is hardy down to -10 °C (14 °F), although prefers to be in a well draining soil and not sitting in too much water over winter. It doesn't require much fertile soil and does well in poor soils. It does spread via underground stems and if left unchecked it can become invasive. 'Blue Wonder' is a compact dwarf form with blue-green foliage and produces greenish yellow bracts in spring.
Planting young plants
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
As a general rule, Spurge requires well-drained soil in full sun. They will tolerate shadier conditions, but none of the family is fussy about soil condition. They even thrive in very poor soils and can tolerate periods of drought.
Propagation
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
Spurge grows quite well from seeds sown indoors in pots. You can propagate Euphorbia more quickly and easily by gathering up the “volunteers” around an established plant. You may also root basal stem cuttings in a soil less medium, such as peat. Keep them lightly misted and enclose the pot in a bag to keep moisture in. Let the pot breathe once a day for an hour, so the soil does not mold. Once the cutting has rooted, you can pot it in regular soil or plant outdoors in moderate climates. One of the more important growing tips for Euphorbia is to let the stem cutting dry for a few days before planting. This allows the sap to form a callus on the cut end and prevents rotting.