Caper spurge
Euphorbia lathyris · Euphorbiaceae
📷 Giuseppe Frizzi · Public domain
⚠️ Sève irritante pour peau et muqueuses chez tous. Ingestion provoque troubles digestifs; chiens et chats risquent urgence vétérinaire.
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant caper spurge: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- June to July
- Mature size
- Approximately 120 cm in height
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Hardy in temperate climates
- Origin
- Mediterranean Basin and Western Asia
- Soil type
- Well-drained, rather dry
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Large spurge, nice structure but watch out for the sap: wear gloves, preferably. Plant in full sun, decent soil (no need for rich soil).
The common mistake
Treating it as a permanent perennial: it burns out all its energy flowering/seeding and then dies.
The pro's trick
Grab the green seeds just before they pop (July): put a small cloth bag over the capsules to catch them.
Care
Exposure
Garden Spurge appreciates full sun for optimal growth and generous flowering. However, it tolerates light partial shade. Avoid overly shaded locations that would slow its vigor.
Watering
Water regularly during the first year to establish the root system. Once established, it resists drought well and only needs moderate watering during active growth. Reduce watering in autumn and winter.
Soil
Prefer well-drained and even chalky soil for this hardy plant. It adapts to poor or dry soils and fears waterlogging. Adding standard potting soil is sufficient in containers or for light soil improvement.
Pruning and cutting
Pinch young plants to encourage branching and a fuller shape. After flowering, you can clean up tired stems. In late autumn, cut back the plant to ground level if it becomes invasive.
Fertilizer
A balanced fertilizer application in spring is generally sufficient for this undemanding plant. Avoid overfeeding, which would favor foliage at the expense of flowers and would accentuate its invasive character.
Diseases and pests
Garden Spurge is very hardy and rarely subject to diseases. Monitor stagnant humidity that could lead to root rot. Aphids may occasionally infest it; clean with soapy water if necessary.
Did you know?
Garden Spurge is also nicknamed the 'poor man's castor bean' due to its resemblance to castor bean and its ease of cultivation. Historically, some cultures believed in its repellent properties against rodents and snakes, hence its frequent planting near barns. Its toxic and irritating sap also inspired traditional uses in folk medicine, although its use is now discouraged.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Wood spurgeEuphorbia amygdaloides
- Albanian spurgeEuphorbia characias
- Spiny spurgeEuphorbia spinosa
- Garden crotonCodiaeum variegatum
- Griffith's spurgeEuphorbia griffithii
- Hevea microphyllaHevea microphylla
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.