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Eupatorium (Joe-Pye Weed)
Despite an unappealing common name, these amazing plants are native from the US to Mexico, and around the world to Asia. Most that we have trialed have proven to be amazingly adaptable in our climate. Many of the native species thrive best in moist sites, although they are quite adaptable in all but the worst droughts. Our native species are prized in European gardens, but sadly used less often here where they are native. How about helping us reverse this disturbing trend?
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Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' PP 16,122 (Coastal Plain Joe-Pye Weed)
Sun to Part Sun Zone: 4-8, at least 48" tall Origin: USA
Eupatorium dubium is a little-known dwarf species of Joe-Pye, native in moist soils from Maine south to South Carolina. In appearance, E. dubium is similar to E. purpureum, but is more tolerant of light shade. This selection was discovered by Steve Lighty at the Conard-Pyle Nursery in Pennsylvania. The 4' tall stems are clothed with whorls of green leaves and topped in midsummer with dome-shaped heads of lavender flowers...a real bonanza for keeping butterflies at eye level. As with most Joe-Pye weed, moist soil is best. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05362
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Eupatorium fistulosum (Giant Joe-Pye Weed)
Sun to Part SunZone: 4-8 144" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
Warning: This moisture-loving perennial is not for the gardening faint-of-heart! As soon as visitors gaze upon this most spectacular native, they insist on purchasing one. Joe-Pye Weed bursts from the ground with bamboo-like stalks that quickly ascend to 12'. In midsummer, this clumping perennial is topped with massive, 1' wide, smokey-pink flower heads...the absolute favorite of butterflies! This is the true species, E. fistulosum, not one of the shorter species often sold as such in the trade. Pot size: 2 qt. (1.892 L) #01444
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Eupatorium fortunei 'Pink Frost' (Pink Frost Joe-Pye Weed)
Sun to Part SunZone: 4-7 36" tall Origin: Japan
Open House/Web-Only!
This unusual form of the Japanese Joe-Pye weed makes a stunning clumper with 3' tall upright stalks, clothed with claw-shaped, fuzzy green leaves edged in creamy yellow. In September, the clumps are topped with small heads of rich pink flowers. E. fortunei is easy to grow in slightly moist soils. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07627
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Eupatorium greggii (Texas Ageratum)
SunZone: 7-10 24" tall Origin: USA
This amazing Texas native should be grown in every garden from Zone 7 south, and in containers from Zone 7 north. Resembling a rhizomatous perennial ageratum, E. greggii begins to flower in September and continues into December. The 2' tall, spreading patch (3' wide in 3 years) of cut-leaf light green foliage is literally smothered in fall with delightful 2" airy clusters of small blue-violet flowers (RHS 92A). We would not be without this great easy-to-grow native perennial in the fall garden. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #03668
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Eupatorium havanense (White Mist Flower)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10, at least 24" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
Don't bother to look this one up, as no books seem to recognize its existence. From deep in the heart of Texas, where drought tolerance is a way of life, comes a superb eupatorium that produces a mass of foliage 2' tall x 4' wide on very woody stems. In mid to late October, the clump bursts into flower to the point of being covered with a mist of white. The flowers persist until temperatures drop well into the teens. We have grown this for over a decade and feel this is a must-grow plant for gardeners in the South! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #03176
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Eupatorium 'Phantom' (Phantom Joe-Pye Weed)
Sun to Part SunZone: 4-8, at least 36" tall Origin: USA Hybrid
Open House/Web-Only!
From Herbert Oudshoorn of the Netherlands comes a new, purported hybrid of E. maculatum 'Atropurpureum' and E. rugosum. The resulting Eupatorium 'Phantom' is nothing more than a particularly short Joe-Pye, the shortest we have ever trialed. So far, it has matured for us at just under 3' tall. The diminutive stalks are topped in August with typical sprays of lavender flowers...enjoyed by low-flying butterflies as well as cats...who also enjoy low-flying butterflies. Pot size: 2 qt. (1.892 L) #07012
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Eupatorium purpureum 'Little Red' (Dwarf Joe-Pye Weed)
Sun to Part SunZone: 4-8, at least 48" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
In our trials, we have found E. 'Little Red' to be the shortest of the E. purpureum cultivars. The 4' tall stems are topped in midsummer with large heads of rich pink-wine. This is an excellent cultivar, but unfortunately we have been unable to track down its origin...help! We have concluded that it was named after a long night at the neighborhood pub when everything appeared red. Pot size: 2 qt. (1.892 L) #05363
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Euphorbia (Spurge)
Never to be confused with their flashier sister (the over-the-top poinsettia), hardy euphorbias are prized for their unique chartreuse (sometimes white) flower heads, textural foliage, and wonderful garden structure. Once sited in the proper well-drained garden spot, most euphorbias value neglect in the garden. Only now have propagation and breeding advances made many great selections more widely available.
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Euphorbia 'Canyon Gold' (Canyon Gold Spurge)
SunZone: 7-8, at least 30" tall Origin: Hybrid
Euphorbia ‘Canyon Gold’ is a sterile E. characias v. wulfenii hybrid that has been a real standout in our trials. The 2' tall stalks are adorned with blue-green leaves, whose backs take on a wine red hue when the night temperatures cool. The stalks are topped in April and May with huge, 6" spherical alien-like, acid-yellow flower clusters. By late June, the flower heads age to a delicious russet red. We recommend cutting the old flower heads back in late summer to regenerate new basal growth...if not, the plant will prematurely pass on to the compost pile in the sky.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07956
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Euphorbia 'Charam' (Redwing Euphorbia)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-9 20" tall Origin: Hybrid alternate image
(aka: E. 'Redwing'') We are pleased to offer this dazzling English hybrid of E. amygdaloides x E. x martinii, from Bernard Ticker. E. 'Charam' makes a tight mound to 20" tall of long blue-grey foliage. In late winter to early spring, the terminal flower spikes develop, turning a deep red just prior to flowering. Once they open, they reveal a massive cloud of bright gold hiding the foliage...truly a sight to behold. E. 'Charam' requires a dry location with good drainage, especially in areas of high rainfall. After flowering, cut the plant to the ground to rejuvenate new shoots. This is commonly sold as E. 'Redwing', which we discovered is not the name of this plant. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04666
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Euphorbia 'Helen Robinson' (Helen Robinson Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7-8, at least 36" tall Origin: Hybrid
Open House/Web-Only!
This splendid new euphorbia is a cross of E. robbiae x E. characias that occurred at Hyde Hall Garden in the UK, and was later named for its late owner. We have been very impressed by its garden performance, which resembles a E. robbiae on steroids. The 16" tall E. robbiae-like rosettes, which spread by underground runners, are topped starting in mid-April with 20" flower spikes of chartreuse yellow. In rich soils, the rate of spread may be a problem for wimpy plants growing nearby. Our 3-year-old clumps growing in sand have made an 8' wide patch. Dry soils and root competition slow it down to a crawl. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07380
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Euphorbia 'Nothowlee' PP 17,178 (Blackbird Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6-9 18" tall Origin: Hybrid
From Notcuts Nursery in the UK comes a stunning new sport of its popular and easy-to-grow Euphorbia 'Charam' (Redwing). The black-purple foliage adorns the compact stems, forming a tight 18" tall x 1' wide evergreen specimen. The foliage is topped, starting in early spring, with large compact heads of bright yellow flowers held just above the foliage by the bright red stems. This is a real WOW plant for a sunny, well-drained spot in the garden! E. 'Nothowlee' is a 2004 Gold Medal winner at Holland's prestigious Plantarium Expo. We'll also award them the 2004 stupid cultivar name award! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07575
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Euphorbia rigida (Rigid Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7-10 12" tall Origin: Mediterranean Europe, Portugal
Open House/Web-Only!
Rigid spurge? Sounds like more of a social disease than a great garden plant. Nevertheless, if you have a sunny dry spot, rigid spurge may be the answer to your problems...plant problems. Imagine a Euphorbia myrsinites on Viagra and you've got E. rigida. The upright stems are clothed in long, pointed, powder-blue leaves. In very early spring, the ends of each stem are adorned with yellow bracts similar to a miniature poinsettia. E. rigida blends well with small bulbs as well as desert-looking plants. Rigid spurge has proven to be much more durable in our garden than E. myrsinites, being more tolerant of mistreatment. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04973
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Euphorbia robbiae (Robb's Euphorbia)
Part Sun to ShadeZone: 6-8 15" tall Origin: Asia Minor
(syn: E. amygdaloides var. robbiae) One of the finest euphorbias, this black-green euphorbia more closely resembles a forest of dwarf pittosporum. The slightly stoloniferous nature of E. robbiae makes it a dynamite choice for an evergreen groundcover in a difficult and very shady site. In loose, well-drained organic soils, the spread will be much swifter. In very early spring, the chartreuse flowers unfurl in dramatic fashion, presenting 18" tall stalks of unique flowers that last for months...a real winner! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #01293
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Euphorbia 'Shorty' PPAF (Shorty Spurge)
SunZone: 7-8, at least 24" tall Origin: Hybrid
I planted this E. characias hybrid from Georgia's Itsaul Plants, expecting it to die like most of my other E. characias selections. After a summer with several consecutive weeks of 100+ F heat and humidity, it looked good as new...I'm impressed! Our clump has made a compact 2' tall x 2' wide upright mound in good growing conditions. The narrow blue recurved-edge leaves take on a purple hue in the winter months and are topped with short stalks of yellow flowers in March/April. Good drainage is the key for all E. characias forms and hybrids and don't forget to cut them back severely after flowering.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08006
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Euphorbia x martinii 'Cherokee' (Cherokee Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6-8a, at least 15" tall Origin: Hybrid
After 6 years of trials, this little-known but very easy-to-grow selection of E. x martinii (E. characias x amygdaloides) has proven to be one of the best euphorbias we have ever grown. Honestly, I don't see any sign of E. characias in its background. Looking superficially like the wimpy, mildew-prone E. 'Chameleon', E. 'Cherokee' makes a vigorous, 15" tall x 15" wide clump of dark purple stems adorned with dark purple leaves. In hot weather, the older leaves change to purple-green with only the new growth being dark purple. In early spring, the clumps are topped with flower clusters of dark purple. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06462
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Euphorbia x martinii 'Waleuphrud' PP 17,257 (Rudolph's Red Nosed Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6-8a 24" tall Origin: Hybrid
This David Tristam branch sport selection of E. x martinii makes an attractive 2' tall x 2' wide clump of blue-green foliage which, in winter, develops a very attractive, red growing point, reminiscent of that famous reindeer. The idea was to name the plant Rudolph, but that was completely botched. If only we could teach these breeders and the EUPOV office how to properly name cultivars! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06810
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Euphorbia x martinii 'Waleutiny' PP 16,930 (Tiny Tim Spurge)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6b-8, guessing 12" tall Origin: Hybrid
(aka: E. 'Tiny Tim') This hybrid with the bizarre name comes from the UK's Tim Crowther who discovered it as a compact branch sport in a batch of E. x amygdaloides. The narrow blue-green leaves with a hint of red form a compact red-stemmed clump to 1' tall x 1' wide. In late winter to early spring, the terminal flower spikes develop as a cloud of small, green, tightly-clustered flowers. E. ‘Waleutiny' is nice in the garden or as part of a container planting. As with most euphorbias, good drainage is very important. After flowering, cut the old flowering shoots to the ground to rejuvenate new foliage.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08326
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