Spurge

Euphorbia griffithii Dixter

• Position: partial shade
• Soil: moist, well-drained garden soil but will tolerate light clay
• Rate of growth: fast growing
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  This deciduous variety, from plantsman Christopher Lloyd's garden at Great Dixter in East Sussex, has copper-tinted, dark green, lance-shaped leaves with red central veins and rich, brick-red summer flowers that fade to red and yellow in autumn. The flower colour is slightly darker than the better known 'Fireglow' and it's a fabulous spurge for a vibrant planting scheme based on hot colours in a sunny border, or with bRonze-tinted ornamentalgrasses. Given a moist, well-drained soil it may need restricting, since it quickly forms small colonies. It tolerates light clay.

  
  

• Garden care: After flowering remove the faded flower-heads. When working with spurges always wear gloves since the milky sap is poisonous and a potential skin irritant.