Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Golden Balls' (Mediterranean spurge)

About

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Golden Balls' is a compact, upright spurge in the Euphorbiaceae notable for its dense, spherical clusters of yellow cyathia that flower from May to September. It forms many upright stems with long, narrow leaves and rounded flower clusters. Mature plants typically reach around 1.2 m in height and spread. The seedheads are held prominently after flowering.

About the genus

Euphorbia is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae.

Wikipedia contributors, "Euphorbia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Euphorbia

In the garden

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Golden Balls' belongs to the Euphorbia genus and is associated with Mediterranean vegetation, where it produces distinctive rounded heads of yellow cyathia. Flowering in the UK runs from May to September, giving an extended period of architectural colour through late spring and summer. Fruits form as hairy capsules that remain visible once flowering finishes. Plant it in a sunny, well-drained spot where soils run free and dry; the taxon is adapted to sites away from high water tables and tolerates salty coastal air. Allow space for a mature spread of about 1.2 m when siting in borders or gravel beds. A sunny front or middle position in a mixed border suits the rounded flower heads, while placement in a gravel or Mediterranean-style bed shows the form to best effect. Once established it contributes structural form through the season and the seed capsules add late-summer texture. Use it where round, upright flower clusters are needed as a long-flowering vertical element; the persistent winter framework of stems and seedheads also helps garden structure into the colder months.

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