Euphorbia

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General Description/History

Euphorbias are a very large and diverse family, and several species are used as cut flowers and foliages. Many are succulents and look like cacti, but these are more popular as pot or garden plants.

E. wulfenii has green disc-shaped flowers with pink-red centres arranged in a conical spike on a thick stem. E. fulgens has long, curved branches with tiny pointed leaves along the whole length. These are densely interspersed with small rounded flowers that can be red, orange, yellow, salmon pink or white. E. polychroma, or Cushion Euphorbia has short stems with grey-green leaves topped with a circle of yellow-green flowers. E. marginata has very distinctive grey-green leaves with white margins. The 5-petalled flowers are borne at the top of each branch and look like white tea-tree flowers. E. marginata is sold as a foliage as well as a cut flower.

All Euphorbias leak a toxic milky sap when cut. This can be very irritating to the skin, so it is recommended that you should wear gloves when handling. Cutting stems underwater can help minimise latex seeping out.

Euphorbia is harvested from bushes grown in the field. Most are grown in Victoria, QLD or NSW.

Types: E. wulfenii, E. fulgens, E. polychroma, E. marginata

What to look for

  • Buy when flowers are just opening and fully coloured.
  • Avoid bunches with yellowing leaves.

Flower Care

  1. Wear gloves when handling.
  2. Keep cool at all times.
  3. Strip leaves from the bottom half of each stem and wash thoroughly.
  4. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem underwater and place in water immediately.
  5. Do not bash or split stems.
  6. Always use a preservative as this will help maintain open flowers.
  7. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every 2 to 3 days.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

The name “Euphorbia” comes from the Greek surgeon Euphorbus who supposedly used the milky latex in his medicines.

Botanical Name: Euphorbia wulfenii, E. fulgens, E. polychroma, E. marginata

Common Names: Euphorbia, Snow on the Mountain (E. marginata), spurge

Stem Length: 30 to 60 cm

Country of Origin: Central America

Available Colours: Green, Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Season: Summer,Autumn

Availability: January,February,March,April,May,Decemeber