Euphorbia cyparissias Fens Ruby - Spurge

Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fens Ruby', also known as 'Fens Ruby' Cypress Spurge, is a plant for dry areas. It quickly forms a vigorous, deciduous ground cover, producing a mass of very fine foliage, purple in spring, red-orange in autumn. It is abundantly covered with bright yellow-green inflorescences from spring to summer. This very hardy plant, with its low and powerful growth, requires space, as well as exuberant companions, a sunny exposure, and well-drained soil.

Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fens Ruby' belongs to the vast family of Euphorbiaceae. It is a horticultural form of Euphorbia cyparissias, native to south, cental, and western Europe, where it grows on cultivated land, along roadsides and fallow areas, in open terrain. This rhizomatous perennial plant develops from a creeping stump and emits numerous stolons that give it a creeping habit. It reaches a height of 30 cm (12in), 40 cm (16in) when in flower, and spreads over a minimum diameter of 1 m (3ft). It produces numerous herbaceous stems covered with fine brush-like foliage, reminiscent of cypress seedlings. The color of the foliage changes from purple-green in spring to blue-green in summer, and finally red-orange in autumn. The flowering stems appear between April and June, covered with narrow linear leaves (1 to 3 mm (<1in) in diameter and 1 to 4 cm (0 to 2in) in length), slightly curved. They bear umbels of petal-less flowers formed by yellow chartreuse bracts, which turn red over time. The stems and leaves contain a milky and sticky toxic juice.

Euphorbia cyparissias will find its place in a dry and sunny rockery or on a wild slope where it won't smother its neighbors. Indeed, it can become invasive. It can be associated with other formidable ground covers such as Achillea crithmifolia, Stachys lanata Big Ears, Georgia Blue speedwell, and Artemisia canescens. It will create beautiful patches of light at the base of bushes, perennials, or dark-leaved grasses, such as Black Lace elderberry, Berberis thunbergii, purple sage, Pennisetum Purple Majesty, P. Vertigo, and large sedums like Black Jack or Chocolate. Its lime-colored flowering pairs well with the blue of creeping rosemary, perennial flax, and Goniolimon tataricum.