Gopher Plant, Silver Spurge

Euphorbia Rigida

Euphorbia rigida is commonly known as silver spurge or gopher plant. This mounding perennial is often referred to as a shrub, but it definitely does not fit most people’s mental image of what a shrubby plant is, since it doesn’t get woody, or even all that large.

In years with warmer winters, silver spurge may be evergreen, but the stems do die back after flowering, so it’s best if you prune out those old, dead stalks at the end of the flowering season.

Getting to about two feet tall and spreading to about 3 feet wide, silver spurge looks great along the borders of garden beds, perhaps with a bit of space to flop over and trail slightly over the edge.

Bright yellow flower clusters form in late winter and early spring, and silver spurge will flower well into the summer.

Leaves are a bright gray, making the plant really stand out. Plant in full sun, or only light shade, in well-drained, even rocky soils, and water about once a month, unless we’re getting rain.

Viewer picture goes to Phyllis and Charlie Hirst for their Texas-true bottle tree made from hand-blown tequila bottles!