I've been reading about Gopher plants everywhere lately. Garden bloggers in our area have been rhapsodizing about how beautifully they bloom this time of year, singing praises about how they tolerate both heat and cold. I think what finally sold me was when I read about how their milky sap deters predation by our ever present deer.
I'd seen enough. I was a convert. Though I try to use mostly natives, gopher plants are clear winners for our area and I decided to give them a try. As time goes by, I'm beginning to wonder what the term "native" will even come to mean in the future. As climate change and weather disruptions rudely shift the previously drawn temperature zones, naturalists have noted a shifting in the ranges of "native" plants and pollinators right along with them. I'm thinking our idea of what constitutes a zone may need to become a bit more flexible.
But back to the euphorbias. Off to the nursery I went, and came home with two sturdy looking Euphorbia rigida to call my very own.
I haven't decided exactly where I'll place my gopher plants. They appreciate full sun and I have very little of that to offer. To hedge my bets a little I'm considering putting one specimen into a container and the other into the ground. The container I'm leaning towards using is that blue pot with the "necklace"shown above, currently providing a point of refuge for a couple of leftover gifted zygocacti.
I think the yellow green of the euphorbia will be stunning against the deep blue of the pot. The "necklace" for the container shown is yet another borrowed idea, this one an adaptation from Pam at Digging (who originally got her inspiration from a magazine article).
Some of the best ideas (like the best plants) are borrowed, wouldn't you agree?
9 comments:
Like you, I keep reading about the Euphorbia and I've become interested. But also like you, I don't have many spots of full sun, so I'll just have to enjoy other gardeners' success with this plant. Let us know where you place it and how it does for you.
Hi Tina! I believe I'll have a spot in the dirt opening up curbside once the mushy plant/s currently there are given their last gasp chance to pup or be removed for-ev-er! I'm thinking I won't be reusing anything that easily freezes (which will probably guarantee a run of several mild winters to come!).
The other euphorbia I'll probably containerize in order to follow the sunny spots around the back during our LongDry Season. I'll keep you posted.
I'm enchanted by the gopher plant as well and tried one last spring. Be careful to plant it in very well draining soil. I think mine drowned as it had enough sun :/ Best of luck with it...it's a gorgeous plant. I may try one more time with some serious soil amending to my one sunny spot.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
You won't be sorry you bought those gopher plants. It will be interesting to see how well they do in a pot. And a lovely one it is with its pretty necklace. They put on a very long display and even seed themselves. I imagine the nurseries are doing a brisk business in this year.
Thanks for dropping in, Jenny. I'm torn now between putting both gopher plants in one place to rush towards a more impressive display, or to stick to my original plan of one in the ground and one in the pot!
If the blogs are indicative, I'm betting you are right and the nurseries will sell out of gopher plants in short order. I'm glad I got mine early.
Gopher plant is tried-and-true in my deer-infested front garden. It's only been nibbled once, and I could see that the deer who sampled it spat it out immediately. Enjoy yours! I'm admiring your pot necklace too. Thanks for the link love!
Pam - thanks for the reassurance about deer. They are an ongoing menace. I can't count how many plants I've bought and pampered only to eventually have the deer bite them off at ground level. It is incredibly frustrating.
Hi Deb, thanks for your comment at Hill Country Mysteries. You piqued my curiosity--what new hummingbird plants have you added to your gardens?
I saw Pam's gopher post and Steph's gopher post. I'm with you, deer-resistance is a big selling point!
You have an artistic eye for placement. What are you going to do with the plants now in the blue pot? Loved their form.
Hi Kat! Last Fall I put in Augusta Duelberg Salvia, additional Turk's Cap, and Flame Acanthus (aka Hummingbird bush) to supplement the Salvias, Lantanas and Flame Bushes out front. I also put out an Indian Paintbrush but after it showed the first bloom the deer chomped it to the ground. Out back I pruned branches that were shading out my coral honeysuckle to prompt blooms and moved a couple of coral yucca there where they can bloom without becoming deer fodder.
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