Euphorbia cyparissias Orange Man - Spurge

The Euphorbia cyparissias 'Orange Man' is a lovely variety of Cypress Spurge, with fine, bluish foliage that turns a beautiful orange color in autumn before going dormant for the winter. This perennial plant of dry soils quickly forms a vigorous ground cover mat, producing a mass of foliage adorned with abundant, bright yellow-green inflorescences from spring to summer, which also take on pretty orange hues. This very hardy and prolific plant requires space, wild and exuberant companions, a very sunny exposure, and well-drained soil.

The Euphorbia cyparissias 'Orange Man' belongs to the vast Euphorbiaceae family. It is a horticultural form of Euphorbia cyparissias, native to south, centre, and west Europe, where it grows on cultivated land, along paths, and in fallow areas, in open terrain. This rhizomatous perennial plant, which develops from a creeping stump, produces 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). From spring onwards, it produces numerous herbaceous stems covered with fine, brush-like foliage that resembles a cypress seedling. The color of the foliage changes from tender green in spring to bluish-green in summer, ultimately turning orange in autumn. The flowering stems appear between April and June, covered with narrowly linear leaves (1 to 3 mm (0in) 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 that become orange over time. The stems and leaves contain a milky sap that is sticky and toxic.

The Euphorbia cyparissias will find its place in a dry and sunny rock garden, on a wild slope where it won't suffocate its neighbors. It can indeed be an invasive plant. 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 spots of light at the base of bushes, perennials, or dark-foliaged grasses, such as 'Black Lace' Elderberry, Berberis thunbergii, purple sage, Pennisetum Purple Majesty, P. 'Vertigo', and tall sedums like 'Black Jack' or 'Chocolate'. Its anise-flavored flowering goes well with the blue of creeping rosemary, perennial flax, and Goniolimon tataricum.