Euphorbia lathyris - seeds

Euphorbia Lathyris, commonly known as Caper spurge or simply Spurge, is also called "mole plant" or "mole chaser". In gardening folklore, it is considered a natural repellent for these small mammals. Most often biennial, this plant forms a single upright stem, adorned with long blue-green leaves with a white median, arranged in a cross shape and horizontally around the stem. Its summer flowering consists of large acid-green umbels that are refreshingly vibrant. It was once widely found in gardens but is now sometimes considered a weed. It is very undemanding, hardy, and drought-resistant. It also has an unusual architectural quality that can be highlighted in a rock or contemporary garden: plant it in groups of 5 to 7 specimens for a stunning geometric effect!

Garden Spurge belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. It is native to southern Europe (France, Italy, Greece) and China, and naturalised in many countries. It can be found in fallow land, embankments, and debris, not far from human settlements, as well as in gardens. This species grows for one or two years, blooms only once, and then dies. It is thought that the irritating latex that oozes from broken stems repels moles when placed in their burrows.

The Caper spurge is a herbaceous plant that develops a stiff, hollow, and sturdy stem, branching in its upper part when mature. It reaches an average height of 90 cm (up to 1.20 m in rich soil). This stem bears evergreen leaves in winter which are glabrous, narrow and linear, pointed at their tips, with a glaucous colour and a nearly white central line. They are arranged oppositely on the stem, and each pair of leaves forms a right angle with the pair located just below and just above. Seen from above, these leaves form overlapping crosses. The quite spectacular flowering takes place in summer, in July-August, after the stem branches in its upper part. The branches produce a large spherical umbel that bears numerous petal-less flowers, adorned with beautiful, bright yellow-green bracts and carried by bluish peduncles. After pollination by insects, the flowers produce fruits that explosively release the seeds, emitting a characteristic sound. The root system of this plant consists of a main taproot and a few secondary roots.

Like all euphorbias, this plant contains a sticky and toxic latex when broken. It can cause skin irritations (sap) and is toxic if ingested (applies to all parts of the plant).

Euphorbia lathyris is perfectly suited to wild, contemporary, natural, or rock gardens. Its uniqueness will complement the tall torch lilies of yellow, orange, or red kniphofias, the colourful leaves of phormiums, the blue flowers of forget-me-nots, and the architectural presence of yuccas. Planted in groups, it exhibits a sufficiently strong silhouette to stand out in a rock garden or along a path. Equally at home in modern gardens as in a rustic atmosphere, it blends well with anything, enhancing any colour with its acidic inflorescences. To make its flowering even brighter, simply pair it with the purple of irises and ornamental garlic. The combination with drought-tolerant grasses is particularly successful. You can use it to create soft and sinuous mass effects, structure flower beds, and contrast colours and leaf shapes.