Euphorbia rigida: Country Or Region Of Origin
South Europe
Plant Profile: Euphorbia rigida
Taxonomy: Euphorbia rigidaNames
Gopher Spurge, Rigid Spurge, Upright Myrtle Spurge
Phonetic Spelling:yoo-FOR-bee-uh RIG-ih-duh
Genus:Euphorbia
Species:rigida
Family:Euphorbiaceae
Rigid Spurge is a hardy, evergreen perennial belonging to the spurge family, originally found in southern Europe. Its fleshy, blue-green leaves spiral elegantly around the stems, taking on a reddish-bronze hue as autumn approaches. The plant produces small, greenish flowers that are clustered at the tips of the stems, surrounded by vibrant chartreuse bracts. Caution is advised when handling this plant, as its stems release a milky sap that can cause skin irritation; therefore, wearing gloves is recommended. Rigid Spurge is known for its ability to self-seed abundantly.
This plant thrives in well-drained, poor sandy or rocky soils and prefers full sun to partial shade. It is an excellent choice for rock gardens, xeriscape landscaping, or container arrangements.
Euphorbia rigida Feature Summary
Euphorbia rigida Image Gallery
Tags
Euphorbia rigida is often confused with:
Euphorbia rigida Feature Summary
Attributes
South Europe
Perennial
Fruit
Lobed oval green capsule
Flowers
Small green flowers surrounded by chartreuse-yellow bracts terminal stems in April-June.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Bracts
Leaves
1-1.5 inch long blue-green succulent type lance-shaped and acuminate leaves spiral around the thick stem. Fall color is red to bronze tones.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Blue
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Whorled
Lanceolate
Entire
Poisonous to Humans
Milky sap causes skin irritation
Unknown.
Sap/Juice
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen
Erect
Clumping
Ascending
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Small groups
Drought
Deer
Container
Patio
Slope/Bank
Coastal
Bees
Euphorbia rigida Image Gallery
Euphorbia rigida Attributes
Euphorbia rigida: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Euphorbia rigida Fruit
Euphorbia rigida: Fruit Description
Lobed oval green capsule
Euphorbia rigida Flowers
Euphorbia rigida: Flower Description
Small green flowers surrounded by chartreuse-yellow bracts terminal stems in April-June.
Euphorbia rigida: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Euphorbia rigida: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Euphorbia rigida Leaves
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Description
1-1.5 inch long blue-green succulent type lance-shaped and acuminate leaves spiral around the thick stem. Fall color is red to bronze tones.
Euphorbia rigida: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Color
Blue
Green
Euphorbia rigida: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Euphorbia rigida: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Euphorbia rigida: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Euphorbia rigida Poisonous to Humans
Euphorbia rigida: Poison Symptoms
Milky sap causes skin irritation
Euphorbia rigida: Poison Toxic Principle
Unknown.
Euphorbia rigida: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Euphorbia rigida: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Euphorbia rigida: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Euphorbia rigida Whole Plant Traits
Euphorbia rigida: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Euphorbia rigida: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Euphorbia rigida: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Euphorbia rigida: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Euphorbia rigida Cultural Conditions
Euphorbia rigida: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Euphorbia rigida: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Euphorbia rigida: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Euphorbia rigida: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Euphorbia rigida: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Euphorbia rigida Stem
Euphorbia rigida: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Euphorbia rigida Landscape
Euphorbia rigida: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Euphorbia rigida: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Euphorbia rigida: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Euphorbia rigida: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Euphorbia rigida: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
