Euphorbia is one of the largest plant genera on earth and as such has the largest range of form and habit of any plant family. There are Euphorbias for hot dry places and for shady moist spots.

Commonly known as Cushion Spurge, E. polychroma is one of the best. It forms a rounded cushion of medium-green foliage that is topped by eye-catching yellow bracts in spring. It is one of the rare perennials that puts on spectuacular show in fall when it turns shades of orange, red, and purple.

Distinctions: Winner of the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

WARNING: May cause minor vomiting or stomach upset if ingested. Sap or juice may cause dermatitis.

Zones: 4 to 8

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Type: Herbaceous Perennial

Height: 12 to 24 in.

Spread: 12 to 24 in.

Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil: Dry, Well-drained, Undemanding

Bloom Time: May to June

Native Range: Central & South Eastern Europe to NW Turkey and Libya

Image Credits:

• Chrumps, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons