Cypress spurge is a low-growing perennial shrub that brings architectural elegance to dry, difficult garden spots where little else thrives. Rising just 9 to 12 inches tall and spreading 12 to 18 inches wide, this rhizomatous perennial explodes with showy lime-yellow flower bracts from April through June, eventually aging to warm red tones. Hardy in zones 4 through 8, it thrives in full sun and poor, well-drained soil, making it particularly valuable for rocky, sandy, or shallow soils that defeat most other plants. Deer and rabbits leave it untouched, and once established, it survives on rainfall alone in most climates.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
12in H x 18in W
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Moderate
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The flower show arrives in spring as tiny blooms cluster in umbel-like formations, their showy lime-yellow bracts transforming to rust-red as they mature, creating a two-tone display across the foliage. Narrow, bluish-green linear leaves give the plant a feathery, almost ferny texture that adds visual interest even when flowers fade. This plant spreads rapidly via underground rhizomes and prolific reseeding, making it exceptional for colonizing large areas quickly without ongoing intervention. Cypress spurge shrugs off drought, poor soil, deer pressure, and rabbit browsing, solving problems in spots where coddled ornamentals would fail.
Cypress spurge excels as a ground cover for sunny slopes, rocky banks, and other marginal spaces where erosion control and rapid coverage matter more than refined aesthetics. Its low stature and spreading habit suit naturalized areas, meadow edges, and transitional zones between manicured gardens and wilder landscape. For gardeners managing steep or difficult terrain, planting eight to ten plants per square yard achieves dense coverage relatively quickly.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Pruning is optional and depends on your goals. To contain spread and prevent self-seeding, deadhead spent flowers before they mature and set seed. If the plant becomes leggy or sparse after several seasons, cut back in early spring to encourage dense, compact branching.
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