General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 5b -26.1 °C (-15 °F) to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Plant Height: 2 to 3 feet
Plant Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Unusual foliage color
Semi-evergreen
Malodorous
Variegated
Flowers: Showy
Other: In the genus Euphorbia, the flowers are reduced in size and aggregated into a cluster of flowers called a cyathium (plural cyathia). This feature is present in every species of the genus Euphorbia but nowhere else in the plant kingdom.
Flower Color: Green
Other: Variegated cream-yellow, lime, green, and red in color
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Provides winter interest
Dynamic Accumulator: B (Boron)
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Roots are poisonous
Other: All members of the genus Euphorbia produce a milky sap called latex that is toxic and can range from a mild irritant to very poisonous.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Parentage: Euphorbia characias x E. amygdaloides ssp. amygdaloides

Image
Common names
  • Euphorbia
  • Spurge
  • Cushion Spurge

Photo Gallery
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2017-12-13
Location: St Louis - Missouri Botanical Garden
Date: 2024-01-03
Reddish highlights on the foliage in winter.
Location: Northern California, Zone 9b
Date: 2020-04-12
Unique little flowers and colorful variegated leaves are eye-catc
Location: My Garden
Location: South Carolina
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2017-11-27
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2017-11-15
Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2019-03-08
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2011-11-25
A young plant just starting to color
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2018-05-11
Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-09-13
Start from mamajack Walters co-op. Planted June 2011
Location: Washington 8b
Date: 2017-04-23
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2019-01-26
Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-09-01
Nice form and no watering.
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2017-12-19
This young plant is showing very good cool weather coloration tha
Location: Mooresville, NC
Date: 2020-07-06
Location: z5 MA
Date: 2011-10-12
Fall color just starting
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2013-11-14
- Cooler weather brings good fall colour.
Location: My Garden
Date: 2015-10-12
Location: Fairfax, VA

Date: 2014-04-09
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-04-04
Emerging shoots after Texas Snow/Ice Apocylypse of 2021.  This on
Location: Hamilton Square Perennial Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2015-11-16
Zone 9b.
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Garden
Date: 2017-10
good colour for a Winter border or container
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2019-03-11

Date: 2013-04-30
Ascot Rainbow in bloom
Location: My Garden
Date: 2014-08-25
Location: Hamilton Square Perennial Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2015-05-13
Zone 9b.
Location: Orangeburg, SC
Date: 2013-07-19
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Feb 20, 2013
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-01-31
This young plants stems are "nodding" in advance of the bloom and

Date: 2010-06-19
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-06-22
Photo by HollyAnnS
Location: Lincoln NE
Date: 2013-11-04
Foliage has nice color in Nov.  after a couple mild frosts.

Date: 2014-04-09
Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-05-07
Cut to ground early spring. Only bloom stalk (lying horizontally)
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Feb 18, 2012
Photo taken at Al's Garden Center, Woodburn, Oregon

Date: 2015-03-24
Location: Little Rock, AR
Date: 2018-06-22
Location: Hamilton Square Perennial Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2015-04-08
Zone 9b 2015-04-08

Date: 2014-09-19
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-03-20
Zone 9b. Year round interest from foliage/bloom.
Location: Fairfax, VA

Date: 2013-01-25
Location: Kalama, Wa.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-09-10

Date: 2012-08-06

Date: 2010-06-19
Location: Washington 8b
Date: 2017-04-23
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-01-29
Winter color
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Oct 16, 2012 
New plant
Location: Washington
Date: 2016-07-30
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2021-04-02
Coming out of dormancy.

Date: 2014-04-09

Date: 2014-04-09
Location: Mobot, St L.
Date: 2017-08-09

Date: 2014-04-09
Location: At a local nursery
Date: 2014-04-18
Location: At a local nursery
Date: 2014-04-18
Location: Barcelona, Spain |April, 2023 (uploaded. This image is much older)
Date: 2023-04-03
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-05-27

Date: 2015-03-24

Date: 2015-03-24
Location: Washington
Date: 2016-08-27
Location: Barcelona, Spain |April, 2023 (uploaded. This image is much older)
Date: 2023-04-03

Date: 2014-09-19

Date: 2015-02-09
Winter interest. You can see the uneven pink coloration.

Date: 2012-08-06

Date: 2012-08-06
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: January 21, 2012
when planted in full sun this will color up beautifully.

Date: 2015-06-05

Date: 2015-06-05
Location: Pembroke, GA
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with Permission.
Photo by sedumzz
Location: Farmer Johns Greenhouse, Farmington Hills, MI
Date: 2013-08-01
Location: Farmer Johns Greenhouse, Farmington Hills, MI
Date: 2013-08-01
Location: Farmer Johns Greenhouse, Farmington Hills, MI
Date: 2013-08-01
Location: KALAMA WA
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Eckert's Greenhouse, Sterling Hts, MI
Date: 2012-07-30
Location: Eckert's Greenhouse, Sterling Hts, MI
Date: 2012-07-30
Location: Eckert's Greenhouse, Sterling Hts, MI
Date: 2012-07-30
Location: Eckert's Greenhouse, Sterling Hts, MI
Date: 2012-07-30
Location: NYBG 
Date: June 14 22
Location: Fairfax, VA | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-14
Location: Temple Texas
Date: 2019-04-05
2nd season in bloom

Image Courtesy of Bloomin Designs Nursery Used with Permission
  • Uploaded by Joy
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Comments:
  • Posted by BlueOddish (South Jordan, Utah, USA - Zone 7a) on May 2, 2020 9:00 AM concerning plant:
    A very pretty and very stinky plant.

    Its looks make up for the smell though.
  • Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on Oct 18, 2012 9:10 AM concerning plant:
    Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' (Euphorbia characias x Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Rubra') was discovered by David Glenn in Australia.

    I have found that even the hybrid euphorbias are good at keeping gophers and other plant/bulb-eating critters out of the garden beds. The euphorbia does need to be planted close to the plants/bulbs you want to protect.

    1/26/2019
    I have had this plant for going on 9 years now. I still have the original plant that I have made starts from, so now have several colonies of this wonderful euphorbia. It puts on a wonderful show of color in the winter. Early spring I cut the old stalks back to the ground.
  • Posted by ssgardener (Silver Spring, MD - Zone 7a) on Mar 12, 2013 7:17 AM concerning plant:
    This is a gorgeous euphorbia all season long. My favorite is the winter color, because it provides such wonderful color when everything else is brown or just plain green.

    I've read that it needs to be cut back in early spring, but that may be for well established plants. It's listed as full sun, but I think it'll be fine in part sun, like other similar euphorbias. I don't know whether deeper shade will affect the variegation.
  • Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Sep 6, 2012 10:01 AM concerning plant:
    This hardy Euphorbia survived its first winter in great shape, but last winter was very mild, so I'm unsure of its continued hardiness here. I haven't watered or fertilized, and in full sun it's maintained a nice compact form with beautiful color. Last winter it was a nice dark red beacon although the form was open and unattractive up close. I pruned back to just a few inches in early spring and it apparently developed enough "old growth" because it bloomed very profusely. Update: Only about 1/4 of the plant put out new growth this year (2013).
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Oct 24, 2011 12:47 PM concerning plant:
    This is a colorful and compact spreading Euphorbia. Both the flowers and the foliage are variegated. The flowers are a combination of cream and lime green; the foliage is cream with blue-green and the reverse is a pink or red. In the cooler months the foliage flushes even more red. Tolerant of heat and drought.

  • Posted by 4susiesjoy (Leonard, Minnesota - Zone 3b) on Aug 25, 2014 5:47 PM concerning plant:
    This euphorbia has been thriving in a pot through a very cool summer. The colors in it have been very bright and colorful -- maybe deeper colors because of the cool, as some of the other Euphorbias do. Although its minimum hardiness is supposed to be zone 6, I will take cuttings, but I will also plant it to see whether it will survive the winter in zone 3 with heavy mulch.
  • Posted by Deebie (midstate South Carolina - Zone 8a) on Aug 25, 2014 6:28 PM concerning plant:
    I love this variegated plant for year-round color, especially during the dreary winter months. It looks good potted with white pansies and kale. I take cuttings during the warmer months to add plants to other planters and to share with friends, who always want a piece when they see it. Fortunately, they root very easily. Plants bloom in late summer and early fall, and the leaves turn a beautiful reddish color. I grow it in full sun.
  • Posted by jvdubb (48036 MI - Zone 6b) on Aug 25, 2014 6:38 PM concerning plant:
    I purchased two of these euphorbias in 2012. I was blown away by the way they looked the same that winter as they had in summer. I only cut back a few branches or part of branches late in spring 2013. They delighted me all through the growing season in 2013. Then came the winter. Deep snow and bitter cold temps. I lost both plants. I promptly bought two more in June 2014. I hope they survive this next winter, but if they don't, I will buy at least two more! Other than the problem with winter, these plants are drought tolerant and carefree in my zone 6 garden
Plant Events from our members
gardengus On May 7, 2015 Obtained plant
SuperHappyCamper On March 16, 2023 Obtained plant
Purchased from WM.
paleohunter On October 15, 2023 Obtained plant
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