| Description | Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) is one of the earliest blooming plants for the zone #5 perennial gardens. The flowers are actually colorful yellow bracts. |
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| Pronunciation | (yoo-FOR-bee-uh) |
| Plant Type | Perennials Hardy, Site author's observations |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-8 |
| Sunlight | full, mostly sunny, some shade |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Temperature | average |
| Flowers | As with many members of the Euphorbia genus, what are called the flowers are really modified leaves called bracts. The bracts are very yellow. When at their peak of color, not many other plants are blooming in the zone #5 garden and this plant will stand out as a very bright yellow cushion. Blooms the end of April to early June. |
| Leaves | If the stems are cracked or broken they will extrude a white sticky sap. I have some plants turn a very bright red in the fall and others didn't. It seems plants in the full sun have better fall color. Plant is green throughout the growing season |
| Dimensions | Can become large with time. I had one plant reach 24-26" tall by around 40" in spread. Plan on a plant of around 24" tall by 24"-30" spread. Space 18"-24" on center. |
| Maintenance | After a few years the plant will get large and may open up in the center. At this time it should be divided in the spring. Make sure that the divisions contain a healthy portion of the original clump. In a few gardens this plant will reseed all over the place in others it never jumps around. I have moved clumps in the middle of the summer and they have survived. Didn't look very good right after being moved, but recovered the next growing season |
| Propagation | This plant can be grown from seed that have been cold stratified. Also from cuttings or division |
| Native Site | This plant is native to Europe. |
| Misc Facts | It goes by two different species names, polychroma and epithymoides. The first name was given to this plant by Linnaeus in 1770 (epithymoides). In 1875 an Austrian, Kerner, gave the plant the species name polychroma. First name should supersede the second, but both names are commonly used. I use polychroma because it is easier to say and that's the one I grew up with! |
| Notes & Reference | #04-Herbaceous Perennial Plants (Allan Armitage), #229-Euphorbias A gardeners Guide (Rodger Turner) |
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