Les Hodge | Variety the spice of life for euphorbias
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propertyHome/Community/Community NewsLes Hodge | Variety the spice of life for euphorbiasApril 10 2020 - 6:00pmApril 10 2020 - 6:00pmFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyDIVERSE: Euphorbias come
in a delightful range of sizes and shapes and are relatively easy to grow from cuttings or seed. Euphorbias are a very diverse family of succulents that come in a huge range of shapes and
sizes, from five centimetres to ten metres tall.
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adapted to survive in areas where rainfall is low or seasonal with very long dry periods in between by developing ribbed stems.
Plants with this form are able to take up water during wet periods and store it in their stems which, due to their ribbed shape, are able to expand and contract without splitting.
Some interesting euphorbias include Euphorbia milii or crown of thorns, a small shrub with succulent branches lined with long sharp thorns.
Many forms are available with larger bracts usually bright red in colour although yellow, pink and white variants are known. It's a very dry tolerant ornamental plant popular for rockeries
and gravel gardens.
For year-round appeal plant Euphorbia wufenii for its eye-catching large, lime/green flowers and blue/green foliage; an ideal planting for Mediterranean-style gardens.
Boronias with their gorgeous fragrance need perfect drainage. Euphorbia myrsinites or donkey tail spurge loves hot, dry spots where its prostrate stems of waxy blue leaves and
chartreuse/yellow flowers can be used to great effect.
The spiralling of the leaves follows the Fibonacci sequence in that each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.
The twisting snake-like cylindrical stems coming from the central point of Euphorbia caput-medusae resembles the head of the Greek mythological creature Medusa. It's a most unusual plant
that looks attractive planted in border edgings or containers.
Freesias are a popular choice in the garden thanks to their stunning perfume. A surprising member of the Euphorbia family is the poinsettia we use to decorate our homes at Christmas time.
Euphorbia pulcherrima naturally flowers in winter but commercial growers can manipulate the day lengths to alter their cycle to get them to flower in our summer.
Propagation of many euphorbias is easy as some are grown from cuttings and a few smaller species are readily raised from seed.
The seeds are borne in three lobed pods each containing only a single seed. As the pods ripen the seeds are ejected several metres which leads to the formation of dense colonies in their
natural habitats.
Euphorbias tend to be more frost tender than most cacti and under greenhouse conditions this may not be a problem, but further inland they may require warmth at night in frosty weather.
Water under the leaves to prevent powdery mildew.
Always wear gloves when handling euphorbias as the milky sap can cause irritation to the skin and eyes.
Passionfruit vines grow best in full sun, sheltered from strong winds.Native Plant of the Week Grevillea australis is the only grevillea species native to Tasmania and was first noted in
1804 by botanist Robert Brown (1773-1858) growing on the banks of the Tamar River near Launceston.
This variable species is widespread in Tasmania but also occurs in all eastern states of Australia except Queensland.
It's an open to dense, small to medium shrub, from 0.2m to 2.5m in height with creamy, white flowers that occur in clusters along the stems in winter, spring to summer.
The flowers are pollinated by bees and butterflies.
Grevillea australis revels in Tasmania's cool, mild summers, wet and cold winters and frequent snowfalls on higher ground.
In coastal gardens with humid weather that do not experience cold winters it can be quite short lived as it appears to need the cold to survive.
It grows well in an open or partly-shaded position in well-drained, acidic, sandy or heavy soils. Water in summer. Shape can be improved by pruning.
Take cuttings from firm, current season's growth.
Grevillea australis is widely available in nurseries with several cultivars in cultivation and the prostrate form is particularly appealing.
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