Euphorbias

I know it's not the right time to do it and am only planning for later in the year, but what is the best way to tidy up/cut back euphorbias? In particular, I have a couple of Euphorbia Martinii that gave a wonderful display last Spring, but this year, although there are flower buds forming, they look rather tatty and floppy.

The RHS site suggests cutting back to ground level once the flower heads start to wither (I know they can look good for months) but this seems a bit drastic and I am reluctant to do this in case they don't recover (although the way they look now, it might not be so bad!).

Any suggestions/advice?

 

Hmmmmm. Does the lack of responses mean...

a) no one is interested in Euphorbia?
b) no one knows?
c) no one cares?

 

Hi Aaron,

I'm interested, but have only just seen your post! I've got some Euphorbia characias that I replanted in our garden from my 2007 Chelsea garden "Shinglesea" They're looking tatty and I was wondering how to treat them. Richard Bird's "Ultimate Practical Guide to Pruning and Training" has this to say:

"Most of the perennials can be cut back to the ground as they fade, but on shrubby ones, such as E characias, cut back flowered stems as low down as possible after flowering, leaving the new, unflowered shoots to develop. All will regenerate from hard pruning, but once plants get old, it is best to replace them".

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

I go along with Boghopper on this, although I've never grown x martinii, from a google it appears to be the perrenial rather than the shrubby type.

I've cut this kind to the ground before in June and it keeps then compact.

 

Righto, a cut back after flowering in June is called for. If they don't make it, I'm blaming you guys.

That was a joke BTW! From my internet research at work today, they seem to be shortlived, so if they die, they'll get replaced.

Chris, I was given a Euphorbia characias three years ago by a colleague at work and for the first time ever it has masses of flower buds on it. I am delighted...perhaps telling it last summer that if it didn't bloom this year it was for the dig out worked!

 

Euphorbia x martinii is one of my favourite plants looking good for months - from buds, through 'flowers' to seed heads. But therein lies the problem, to keep it looking best it should be cut back soon after flowering but then you shorten the display.
Perhaps you are right with June as a compromise.
As mentioned above, they do tend to be short lived plants, after about 5 years they seem to loose vigour and look straggly.
I often get self sown seedlings in gravel and also managed to root cuttings taken begining of Sept

 

Cheers. The martinii look really sorry for themselves at the moment, but there are some flowerheads. They're near the back of the border, so cutting back last summer sort of went by the wayside...this year I shall make a concerted effort to get to them and hopefully next year they'll look better.

 

As an update, both my E characias are about to burst into bloom. One of the E Martinii is perked up no end and flower buds are appearing; however the other one has gone to the great garden in the sky as it was looking extremely brown and dead.

Pruning shears will come out as suggested in late Spring.

 

I attacked my E characia yesterday, having failed to cut it back after flowering . One looked fairly healthy so I just trimmed out the dry ratty stems, the second, sadly, had had gone to the great compost heap in the sky, so out it came, and the third had some new growth at the base so I chopped all the old stuff off. This, hopefully, will give the Stipa gigantea I planted at the same time, a chance to flourish.

Chris

 

Sorry Aaron, I have only just seen this post-not that it would have made much difference I hadn't a clue, so thanks........now I know.