Euphorbia lathyris - Spurge

The Euphorbia Lathyris, also known as Garden Spurge or Caper Spurge, is also called "mole chaser" or "mole herb". In gardening folklore, it was reputed to repel these small mammals: it is more likely that it is the irritating latex that flows from broken stems that is placed in their burrows that repels them. This plant, most often biennial or short-lived perennial, forms a single upright stem, adorned with long green-blue leaves with a white median and arranged in a cross and horizontally around this stem. Its summer flowering consists of large acidulous umbels that are refreshing. Formerly very common in gardens, it has been ousted as a weed. It is true that it is very undemanding, very hardy and resistant to drought. It also has an unusual pattern, to be highlighted in a rocky or contemporary garden: install it in groups of 5 to 7 plants for a stunning geometric effect!

The Euphorbia lathyris belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. It is native to southern Europe (France, Italy, Greece) and China, and naturalised in many countries. It is found in fallow land, embankments and rubble, not far from homes, but also in gardens. This species develops over one or two years, flowers only once, then dies.

This herbaceous plant develops a stiff, hollow and solid stem, branching in its upper part when mature. It reaches an average height of 90 cm (35in). This stem bears glabrous, narrow and linear evergreen leaves, pointed at their tips, with a glaucous colour and crossed by an almost white central line. They are arranged opposite each other on the stem, and each pair of leaves forms a right angle with the pair just below and just above it. Seen from above, these leaves form overlapping crosses. The flowering, quite spectacular, takes place in summer, in July-August, it is announced when the stem branches in its upper part. The branches produce a large spherical umbel that bears numerous petal-less flowers, but adorned with beautiful bright yellow-green bracts and carried by bluish peduncles. After pollination by insects, the flowers give way to 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 and is toxic if ingested (all parts of the plant are involved).

The Euphorbia lathyris is perfect for wild, contemporary, natural, or rocky gardens. Its uniqueness blends well with yellow, orange, or red kniphofias, phormiums, the blue flowering of forget-me-nots, the large leaves of tetrapanax, orange Hedychium assam, and yuccas. Planted in groups of several plants, it displays a sufficiently graphic silhouette to take pride of place in a rockery or at the bend of a path. Equally at home in modern gardens as in a rustic setting, it pairs well with anything, enhancing its acidic inflorescences with any color. To make its flowering even brighter, simply pair it with the purple of irises, Alliums, or large-flowered clematis. The duo with grasses is particularly successful. It can be used to create soft and sinuous mass effects, structure flower beds, contrast leaf colors and shapes.