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Gardenbug
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 09:27 pm: |   
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This is a favorite plant of mine. I adore the color alone or paired with grasses or other flowers. When it blooms, the flowers are a bright yellow-green.
In bloom:
In combination with grasses:
gardenbug Ontario, Canada zone 5b, USDA zone 4 |
Vtskiers
| | Posted on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 08:21 am: |
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I grabbed a trio of these at a 50% off sale in October-a variety called 'Red Martin'. The foliage is gorgeous. Mine is planted next to a green and yellow variegated holly which should really complement the blooms. Not even December and I'm looking forward to spring...
Sue
Wethersfield, CT USA Zone 6a
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Euphorbphreak
| | Posted on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 09:00 am: |
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GB, I'm glad you posted the bloom, since that is very untypical for a martinii (or the Red Martin cultivar). They normally have black eyes that are quite striking. I'll post a pic when I get home.
David, the other CA, USDA z9b, WG z17 |
Euphorbphreak
| | Posted on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 07:25 pm: |
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GB, here's a pic of the blooms from my E. martinii from April this year. Notice the red "eye" in the cyathia...a feature from its characias parent. Does yours get this?
David, the other CA, USDA z9b, WG z17 |
Ton_hannink
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 06:41 am: |
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In Holland we have the red and yellow eye. I prefer the red eye
Ton Hannink Holland |
Formerly_ci
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 09:04 am: |
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Gardenbug I am pretty sure that yours may be Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' (aka 'Rubra). This is one of the parents of E. x martinii and much hardier which would explain it's success in your freezing garden!
Formerly_ci New York Zone 6/7 |
Gardenbug
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 12:14 pm: |
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Well, our local nursery has been known to make a "few" errors in the past...I would never trust their labels and simply spring for what I like there.
gardenbug Ontario, Canada zone 5b, USDA zone 4 |
Euphorbphreak
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 05:25 pm: |
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GB, I agree with FCI, especially given how low growing your plant is. Martinii should be 3-4 ft tall. But yours is a beauty!
David, the other CA, USDA z9b, WG z17 |
Formerly_ci
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 06:57 pm: |
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I agree it is a beauty. And something to be excited about even if it is not martinii. Some say that E. amygdaloides 'Robbiae' and E. amygdaloides 'Purpurea' are hardy for Euphorbias. That may be true zone wise but they can still be tricky. Often they look fine and then croak suddenly with no warning. My only success with 'Purpurea' is with a seedling that appeared and 'Robbiae' still eludes me.
It looks like this will finally be the year my E. characias 'Beth Chatto' bites the dust with this wicked weather we have had but I allowed her to go to seed so I hope some little seedlings will pop up around my garden. I'll be looking for them come spring.
Formerly_ci New York Zone 6/7 |
Gardenbug
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 07:33 pm: |
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Not to worry! You'll find plenty of seedlings I'm sure. I get as many with this plant as I do with chameleon, maybe more. They're so easy to remove or give away.
gardenbug Ontario, Canada zone 5b, USDA zone 4 |
Formerly_ci
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 09:58 pm: |
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Just doing some research and looking through my Euphorbia book and noticed there is some question on if it should be E. amygdaloides 'Purpurea' or E. amygdaloides var. purpurea as it is a naturally occuring color morph. And lists A. amygdaloides var. or subsp. robbiae as just Euphorbia robbiae. Egads so confusing and I can never keep everything straight.
I quite like my book Marie though it doesn't have the best photos it does have nice detailed drawings of the plants. Which one were you looking at? Mine is Euphorbias A Gardener's Guide by Roger Turner. Do you have any good book recommendations David?
Formerly_ci New York Zone 6/7 |
Euphorbphreak
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 10:32 am: |
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Kaveh, Turner's is the only book out there solely on herbaceous Euphorbias. There's lots of books on the succulent kind, but they never cover these species. Marie, was it Turner's book you were looking at?
I think his UK point of view doesn't do some of these species justice, particularly the Mediterranean ones, though it is useful to see what can thrive in a rainy climate year round. Plus, he skimps on care tips.
I think it's more common now to refer to robbiae as E. robbiae as its own species. But the way these interbreed, you never know if you're getting a "pure" strain.
David, the other CA, USDA z9b, WG z17 |
Euphorbphreak
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 02:26 pm: |
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Another view of E. martinii about to go into bloom. It's about 4 ft. tall here.
David, the other CA, USDA z9b, WG z17 |
Gardenbug
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 02:37 pm: |
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Very beautiful...but not like mine. I love the red stems! They certainly are taller than mine.
I'm not sure of the author of the book I was looking at. It was a small paper back. I may be able to find the name of it on the weekend.
gardenbug Ontario, Canada zone 5b, USDA zone 4 |
Kvb
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 05:36 am: |
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I have E amygdaloides 'Purpurea', a gift from my neighbour as it seeds like nobodys business, and I've been interested to see it appear in local nurseries/garden centres this spring under the name E amygdaloides 'Rubra'. This early in the season, and without buying a pot and standing it next to mine it's hard to see a difference, so I assumed it was a misslabelling by the wholesaler. Do you think it may be a new plant?
I have noticed far more Euphorbias on sale this spring - maybe they are the trend plant of the year, or maybe I've just never been looking properly before.
I have Martinii too, which looks stunning at the moment - the deep red leaves are just showing the start of acid green bracts to come, and the sight of it reminds me that nature really does know all the best colours and combinations!
Kate in Suffolk Zone 8 |
Kvilledude
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 07:39 am: |
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Last year, I bought a euphorbia labelled Euphorbia robbiae and have found it not to be especially robust here in NC. The plant came back this year but is a mere shadow of its former self. Maybe it will take off later in the season, but it sure isn't like any other euphorbias I have.
Kvilledude North Carolina Zone 7 |
Euphorbphreak
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 05:31 pm: |
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Kate, "Rubra" and "Purpurea" are synonyms--the only question being whether it really is a cultivar for ""-ing or a naturally occuring variety, and I've certainly never found any difference between the ones I've seen so labeled. The nectar glands are absolutely identical as are the coloring and culture. Actually, I think what GB has posted above is an E. amygdaloides 'Rubra' since it is so small statured and lacks the striking dark purple nectar glands of the E. martinii.
I'm surprised to hear of E. robbiae's performance for you Miguel. Where do you have it planted? It's one of the few Euphorbias that prefers shade, and it does best in well-draining leaner soil too, without too much water. Mine is almost a weed and has spread all over around the base of a tree (but that's what I wanted)--I should post a separate thread on it.
I think it has traditionally been considered a subspecies of E. amygdaloides since its nectar glands are the same, but I prefer the simpler usage 
 David, the other CA, USDA z9b, Sunset z17 |
Kvilledude
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 03:41 am: |
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David, according to the tag that came with my Euphorbia robbiae, the plant was supposed to be planted in sun or shade and it said to water weekly during dry spells. If the tag information is wrong, that might be why it isn't doing well as I have it planted in full sun in a raised bed. I didn't tend to water it too much but other plants nearby did get watered during our drought last year. Maybe it will take off this year. Can't really move it to a shadier spot since I don't have one.
Kvilledude North Carolina Zone 7 |
David_b
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 06:56 pm: |
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I have E. amygdaloides purpurea too and mine seeds like Kate's all over the place, to the point of being a mild pest. I noticed this winter after -15F, the stems still seemed to retain a lot of their color, and I suspect will be fine and will bloom. I kept E. a. v. robbiae for about 3-4 years but finally lost it in a harder winter. It is not as hardy. I have not yet seen E. martinii but would like to try it.
David Michigan Zone 5-6 |
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