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This euphorbia puts thrill in fill

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED AUG 27, 2018

Diamond Mountain euphorbia has tiny winged flowers. It's new from Proven Winners. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)

Euphorbia fills in beautifully between Supertunia and Angelonia.

New plant introduction: Frilly but tough Diamond Mountain loves Sacramento heat

One plant can change a whole family's reputation. It can put the thrill into fill.

Such is the case with a surprising euphorbia that should find a home on California patios for many summers to come. Called Diamond Mountain, this euphorbia hybrid is a new introduction from Proven Winners. It's similar to an earlier introduction, Diamond Frost, but bigger -- 24 to 36 inches tall and wide.

Euphorbia is better known by its common name: spurge. Sacramento gardeners rank spurge among their most hated weeds. But euphorbia is a big family, and this hybrid plays up its good points. What makes spurge such a persistent weed works for Diamond Mountain: It has very low-water demands, needs no maintenance, withstands intense heat, grows quickly and blooms like crazy -- in full sun or mostly shade.

Diamond Mountain also plays an underappreciated but very useful role: It's good filler. Like baby's breath in bouquets, it's a tiny little white flower that fills the gaps around the big showy blooms. But those little flowers make their counterparts look better and visually hold the arrangement together.
That same concept works in container gardens and larger landscape beds. With its strange winged white flowers, Diamond Mountain sparkles in part shade -- or moonlight. It's a very attractive supporting player.

Hardy in zones 10 and 11, Diamond Mountain is right on the edge of its comfort zone in Sacramento's 9b, where it likely will die off due to winter frost. But I expect mine to keep blooming through November; since it stays pretty warm on the patio.

Diamond Mountain LOVED this Sacramento summer. It thrived in a large container with two other test plants, Angelface Steel Blue summer snapdragon (an Angelonia hybrid) and cascading Supertunia Vista Bubblegum (a highly rated pink petunia hybrid). All three are non-stop bloomers and complemented each other well. With its airy cloud of flowers, the euphorbia proved to be the head turner. Visitors wondered, "What is that?! "

Another plus: Diamond Mountain didn't get eaten by bugs. While snails chewed on the petunia and something else nibbled Angelface, the euphorbia grew untouched, thanks probably to its white latex sap. (That sticky sap can cause allergic reactions or skin irritation; wear gloves when working with this plant.)

Diamond Mountain has attractive foliage, too, that forms a softly mounded green pillow beneath the long-stemmed frilly blooms. It's such a delicate look for a very tough plant, and opened my eyes to euphorbia's potential. Next time I hear euphorbia, I won't automatically think spurge.

For more on Diamond Mountain: www.provenwinners.com , https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/euphorbia/diamond-mountain-euphorbia-hybrid

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Keywords:

gardening Sacramento euphorbia blossoms low-water plants container gardening filler plants landscape plants summer gardens flowers

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Garden Checklist for week of April 21

This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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