Gorgeous plant and photo. Just stunning!

Very encouraging seeing such a healthy specimen grown in z6a. How long have you been growing it Debra?

Thanks, it "was" a beauty. We had several of them planted in different areas of the garden but they really took a beating with the 3' of snow we had the following year. I replaced them with the newer cultivar, 'Ascot Rainbow', and with the mild winter we've had this year they should do fine.

FYI, the only one reliably hardy (and prolific!) for us has been Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' but the recent planting of Euphorbia polychroma 'Bonfire' is showing promise as well.

Hi Debbie, I've had both Bonfire and Purpurea (lost one) for 2 years. Both are doing OK. Nothing to shake a stick at. Ascot Rainbow is doing fine but needs cutting back now. Nice winter color. I tried Blackbird several years ago but no go. I just love these things, especially the form of HB and AR.

Your photos are amazing!

Wait, did you you write an article about shrubby euphorbia a few years ago? If so you're to blame.

Guilty as charged! I just can't enough of them, they're superb landscape plants! Almost forgot, E. 'Shorty' is another favorite! I've even found self-sown seedlings and transplanted them to other borders successfully. You'll probably be amazed how fast your 'Ascot Rainbow' bounces back once it's pruned - they're amazing plants!

Folks like you are called enablers. Thank you!

My pleasure...

Debbie, I have E. polychroma 'Bonfire' and it is doing so well. I love it.

This one I don't have, but now I think I may need it. I'm a zone warmer than you.

Tee, 'Bonfire' took a little longer to make a statement in the gardens but it really IS lovely. Unfortunately it's smack dab in a heavily populated vole/mole area so I'm hoping I won't find too much damage when I'm finally able to check it later this spring. They've proven to be the only "pest" who will destroy the Euphorbias.

There's always something. I do believe that voles and moles have cast iron digestive tracks. I don't have them here. Well, moles don't eat plant material but they do leave unsightly run damage to grass roots and push things out of the ground.

I have read that hawks, owls and snakes will eat both moles and voles ... and we have all three around. The Black Rat snake always startles me but I just thank him (or her) for the efforts. We have Cooper's hawks that hunt here frequently as well as a few owls. I hate it when they eat other birds and the shrews, but they do a good job on the moles and voles. It's a love-hate relationship.