More than 30 years ago I planted what I later identified as Polychroma spurge euphorbia at the base of a tree stump in the middle of my backyard. The garden was growing atop soil no deeper than a few feet since the property sat upon granite ledge.

Fast forward to 2006 when I transplanted the euphorbia to my current garden, where it continues to flourish. I've recently added a cultivar named 'Bonfire' and have been satisfied with the performance of both for a number of years.

Although reliable, species or cultivar cushion spurge has never reseeded or shown any sign of being invasive in my garden.

I have polychroma and either bonfire or chameleon (I can't remember now) and neither reseed or spread at all.

E, polychroma is the correct name of the species. E. polychroma 'Bonfire' is the new cultivar.

Gardenweed has it right. Spurges Polychroma and Bonfire are not invasive. In fact I am delighted when I find a tiny seedling now and then to give away or plant in one of my beds for that wonderful spring bright spot they don't fail to give.

Here is Polychroma brightening up a front bed

This is my third year for Bonfire. It doesn't seem to be quite as vigorous a grower as Polychroma, but the foliage color changes throughout the growing season is nice.

Here is Bonfire next to a Heuchera.

Robbiae does spread and reseed but to me the least difficult. All the others I have tried seem to die out for one or another reason. I have been told to plant them (those) in containers>>>so I am supposing they need a better drained situation or such, The flowers are great in arrangement and in the garden.

Thanks, E polychroma looks very nice, I'll give it a try.

There was a GW member named Monique who a few years ago had her gorgeous garden on an open days tour, and she had the most beautiful euphorbia. For the life of me I can't remember the name, but it had pastel shades of pink, white and green and it was just lovely.

I guess that's really not much help to you, lol, but maybe if you google pink and white euphorbia, you'll get some ideas. I did indeed just try to google it, hoping that if I saw a name it would jog my memory, but no such luck. None of the names are ringing a bell (and none of the (mostly close-up) photos looks as nice as Monique's!)

Dee

I'm growing Euphorbia 'First Blush'. This is a tame little fella with variegated folliage. Mine is still small - I just got it last fall. Love it.
{{gwi:229118}}

Ooh, it's nice!

Well, Diggerdee, I'll keep my eye out for that euphorbia -- good to know there are a lot of them out there I can plant.

I really liked that plant and felt sorely deceived when i found out it was invasive. The nerve!

If you take a bus through from Russia to Estonia and then the fields are TOTALLY full of Euphorbia cyparissias. I hit it just as the flowers were starting to open so some of the fields were still blue green and the other side would gradually blown out yellow with chartreuse in-between. Fields and fields of . It is amazing to see those colors on a mass scale. Unbelievable ,â¦.but MONOLITHIC. It is everywhere. It must be the farmers bane.

Gardeweed, You made me laugh so hard with "soil no deeper than a few feet". Try places of Half inch. 1 Foot is deep in my book.Euphorbia rigid and myrsinites will take the heat in the summer. Many of the Euphorbias get burnt up in Texas.

This post was edited by wantonamara on Thu, May 29, 14 at 20:22

I grow polychroma, "bonfire" and 'First Blush'. Bonfire will spread around a bit where it is happy, but I like it, so I don't mind. Polychroma would take over the garden if allowed, but I still like it. Deadheading it would prevent it's world-conquering tendencies. First Blush is a lovely plant - tidy, compact and always pretty from early spring through late fall.
I also really like E. grifitthii - it spreads, but only through the bed where it is planted. It is easily controlled.
E. amygaloides 'purpurea' is a spreader too, but easy to control here.
Looking through my lists, it is interesting how many I have tried and yanked because of their aggression or they failed in our climate.

Gazania,
beautiful pic! what other plants do you have in that bed?

-b