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Euphorbia

Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

When should I prune my euphorbias? Can I cut them back to the base? They have gone all floppy and aren't really looking very attractive.

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    cut the flower stems back to base but not the leaves.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • mushermusher Posts: 389

    Take care when doing so. The sap is a skin irritant

  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Yes I got burnt by it the other day when i was being careless :-(

    Thanks for that, I'll get busy chopping. They looked great last year, not so much this year.

  • steve howesteve howe Posts: 55

    I have several clumps of Euphorbia characais which looked very scruffy after flowering, so about a month ago,(late March early April)  following general advice, I cut the flowered stems - which was virtually all of them - down to base level.

    How long should it be before new growth appears? the plants were very strong growers, but I fear this treatment might be a bit too drastic?

    Steve

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I generally wait til the new growth has started before I cut off the flowering stems. My flowering stems still look too good to cut off



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • AWBAWB Posts: 421

    image

    Just returned from a visit to Mayne Island BC.

    Euphorbia is everywhere and almost considered a weed,

    Suffered from asthma like symptoms, which I have never done in the past.googled not only is the sap harmful the pollen does cause allergies

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I leave the flowering stems too nut. They can be really attractivefor a long period. Insects love the bracts too. A slightly underrated garden plant I think. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PeggyTXPeggyTX Posts: 556

    I planted my first Euphorbia this year.  Mine are still only about 18" tall.  Those in your photo are simply stunning, AWB.  I'm looking forward to mine getting bigger and blooming. 

    My low-carb recipe site: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/
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