Plant of the Week - Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii.
Eye Candy Credentials - Huge yellow green flowers give a welcome punch of zingy colour which cannot fail to brighten a damp and grey early spring.
How to Grow - There are Euphorbias for almost every imaginable situation in a garden, but this variety needs sun and well drained soil. The flowers are biennial so once they have gone over you will need to cut the stems back to the ground and a new batch will emerge. Just a word of caution - the sap of Euphorbias is an irritant so wear gloves and don't get it on your skin.
Looks Good With - Aquilegia vulgaris var stellata 'Black Barlow', Anemanthele lessoniana, Geum 'Princess Juliana', Iris 'Sultan's Palace'.
Technical Stuff - Technically a sub-shrub, this variety comes from Portugal and the Western Mediterranean so will cope with some drought once it is established. It is evergreen and will reach about 1.2m high and 1.2m spread. As such it is a good structure plant to use. However it can get a bit leggy so is best planted with mound forming partners to hide its embarrassment. The Anemanthele does this job well.
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