Which Euphorbia?

I assume this is a Euphorbia - but which one and how tall does it get - it is now about 4ft 6ins.

 

Any chance of a closer pic? I don`t think it`s Euphorbia. Could it be a type of Balsam?

 

Thanks both - I'll take a couple of close up views and post again.

 

Herewith close ups of the stem and leaves which are quite distinctive and the flowers (I thought they were brachts) which look as if there are going to be yellow flowers. Does this get us closer?

 

It's definitely not E. Mellifera. There are literally hundreds of different euphorbias. See if you can pick it out from this lot.
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&um=1&newwindow=1&q=euphorbia&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20

 

That's a spurge-euphorbia-but as your OP I don't know which one.

 

Isn't that the Spurge that is supposed to scare Moles away? (but that's probably no help at all in naming it, sorry!)

 

Yes, I agree. Euphorbia lathyris, commonly known as caper spurge. It's a biennial and will seed itself quite freely.

 

It seems clear that it is E Lathyris and, reading some of the horror stories about its sap on a couple of web sites, it is for the very careful chop! Thanks to all for their thoughts or should I say thank Euphorbeing so kind.

It works on elephants too, I haven't seen one round here for ages.

Seriously, could the Moderator advise - if I say thanks in a reply post, is that correct protocol or should I hit the tahnks button also - I am a little confused.

 

If I have something to add I post a reply, with my thanks. However, that marks the thread as "new", and regulars who use the "New threads" list will come back to it - and then possibly only find the "thanks" message. Good and bad, of course, it may jog their memory to add something extra :thumb:.

So when I have nothing useful to add I just hit the "thanks" button (which doesn't mark the thread as "new")

But that's just what I do ...

 

I understand all Euphorbia sap is an irritant but providing you cut it with gloves and don't try to nibble on it, you should be fine!