Growing Guide
 
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Griffith's Spurge

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Euphorbia griffithii
Euphorbiaceae Family

Prized for its rich red and orange fall foliage. An upright plant with reddish stems and showy floral heads with red and orange bracts and yellow blooms.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers moist, humus-rich soil.

Hardiness zones:

  • 4 to 9
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1.5 to 3 feet

Spread: 1 to 2 feet

Bloom time:

  • mid-spring
  • late spring
  • early summer
  • mid-summer

Flower color:

  • red
  • orange
  • yellow

The yellow blooms are insignificant compared to surrounding orange and red foral bracts.

Foliage color: medium green

Stems are tinged with red. Fall foliage is orange to red.

Foliage texture: medium

Shape:

  • cushion, mound or clump
  • upright

Shape in flower: same as above

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • aggressive - Self-seeds freely and spreads by underground rhizomes.
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - China and Himalayas
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - The plant will self-seed if not deadheaded.

Divide in spring.

Maintenance and care:
Cut the plants back by a third to a half or more after flowering to prevent self-seeding and encourage bushy growth.

Does not like to be disturbed. Divide to propagate or if absolutely necessary.

Mulch to prevent winter injury.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:
Rarely affected but potential pests include:

Aphids
Mealybugs
Nematodes
Spider mites

Varieties
'Dixter' has dark-green leaves and orange floral bracts.

'Fireglow' has a reddish-brown cast to foliage and reddish-orange stems.