Re: euphorbia chameleon
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] euphorbia chameleon
- From: M* T*
- Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 00:51:34 -0400
I'm not Claire or Yvonne, but FWIW, I've now had 'Chameleon' for 2 years -
doing quite well in our horrible drought with minor extra water. Planted
in my one sandy spot (good drainage) in dappled shade/sun. My experience
with euphorbs, in general (with exception of E. myrsinites), is that they
really don't like to dry out, they just want good drainage. E. myrsinites
refuses to grow anywhere but in my sand bed and the gravel drive...it
*really* wants sharp drainage. All my plants are in some kind of shade,
probably the max. sun any get (again myrsinites) is four hours...
E. amygdaloides 'Rubra' or purpurea (same plant) is probably my
favorite...love that plant. It has seeded quite happily in a good deal of
shade and also grows well with up to 4 hours of sun in amended clay soil -
still good drainage - that does get concrete dry in spots in summer. Was
euphoric in raised bed of spent potting soil with mid morning sun and
thinks it hit heaven when it seeded into an area that is about 2 feet of
rotted wood chips. It is sometimes rated hardy for your area, but mostly
for z 6...I interpret this as making it in favorable micro climates in z 5
and maybe with protection? Well worth trying. I find them relatively
short lived - each plant going for about 2 or 3 years before dying out on
me - but leaving hordes (well, not hordes, but enough) seedlings to carry
on. Foliage is so wonderful and it turns nearly black purple in
winter...flowers compliment it marvelously and even after they fade, the
bracts keep right on trucking until at least end of June and later on some
plants before flowering stems need to be removed.
Did 2 articles on Hardy Euphorbia not too long ago, complete with photos of
both of these (as well as others) and more info. on them...might be of
interest....URL to first one is: http://suite101.com/article.cfm/222/21316
'Chameleon' is in the second part. This genus is one of my favs (as if you
couldn't tell). Well worth trying, even where they marginally hardy...give
a protected site and hope for a decent winter. I find the seedlings are
hardier than mature plants; even when we've had horrible winters and I've
lost many mature plants of the less hardy kind, there are always a few
babies hiding under leaves or other plants to replace them with.
As Dan Hinkley of Heronswood said "you can't have too many
euphorbs"....true...true...
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> From: Kay Dye <Kdye1@AOL.COM>
> Date: Monday, August 09, 1999 8:23 AM
>
> Claire and Yvonne,
> I have tried Euphorbia 'Chameleon' two times now and have lost it. Could
you
> tell how you are growing it, what exposure, etc? My first one got too
much
> sun and dryness, I think. But I don't know what happened with the second
> one. I want to try it again, so maybe you could help. Thanks.
> P.S. I got another Euphorbia this year from Robyn's Nest called E.
> 'amygdaloides '
> Rubra' which is holding on, but doesn't look happy. I'm thinking maybe it
> needs to be moved into a shadier location, since it is in pretty much
full
> sun. Have either of you tried this one? It's zone 6, which may not work
for
> me, but I gave it a try anyway.
>
> Kay Dye, Edelstein, IL Zone 5
