Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Euphorbia myrsinites

Broad-leaved Glaucous-spurge · Myrtle Spurge · Blue Spurge

Family EuphorbiaceaeGenus Euphorbia

A thick blue-green stem clothed in overlapping fleshy leaves, ending in a dome of lime-green cup-shaped bracts, above dark red houseleeks.
The whole plantSyrioCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Ground Cover, Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
4-6 in10-15 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
0.5-2 ft15-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gold/Yellow, GreenExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Baleares, Bulgaria, Corse, Greece, Iran and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Sand, Shallow RockyExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Its milky sap can badly irritate skin and eyes. In Colorado it is a Class A noxious weed: growing it is illegal and landowners must eradicate it. Wikipedia: Euphorbia myrsinites

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

100% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). ' E. myrsinites germ. only in 70 GA-3(100% in 2-4 w) and none in 70D or 70L. Seeds DS 1 y gêrm. 70D(4/6 on 5th d) and 70 GA-3(3/6 in 4-6 d) indicating that half the seeds had died and the GA-3 requirement had disappeared. Seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 31, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 5 days to germinate.

67% germination in 5 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). ' E. myrsinites germ. only in 70 GA-3(100% in 2-4 w) and none in 70D or 70L. Seeds DS 1 y gêrm. 70D(4/6 on 5th d) and 70 GA-3(3/6 in 4-6 d) indicating that half the seeds had died and the GA-3 requirement had disappeared. Seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 30, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 6 days to germinate.

50% germination in 4–6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). ' E. myrsinites germ. only in 70 GA-3(100% in 2-4 w) and none in 70D or 70L. Seeds DS 1 y gêrm. 70D(4/6 on 5th d) and 70 GA-3(3/6 in 4-6 d) indicating that half the seeds had died and the GA-3 requirement had disappeared. Seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). ' E. myrsinites germ. only in 70 GA-3(100% in 2-4 w) and none in 70D or 70L. Seeds DS 1 y gêrm. 70D(4/6 on 5th d) and 70 GA-3(3/6 in 4-6 d) indicating that half the seeds had died and the GA-3 requirement had disappeared. Seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Euphorbia p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 21 days.

33% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Euphorbia p. 43Public domain
Show the original text
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). E. myrsinites germ. 70 GA-3(5/5 in 2-4 w), 70L-40(1/3 in 3rd w), and none in 70D-40 or OS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Euphorbia p. 43. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page