How big does Mediterranean spurge grow?

About 1.1 m × 90 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 0.6–1.5 m × 0.6–1.2 m.

What soil does Mediterranean spurge grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous.

Is Mediterranean spurge hardy?

Hardy down to -15 °C (USDA zone 7, RHS H5). In the colder parts of the country (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Vorarlberg) it may not survive winter without protection.

When does Mediterranean spurge flower?

Flowering: April–June, green, yellow.

How much water does Mediterranean spurge need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Mediterranean spurge

Euphorbia characias

Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia characias) is a perennial that reaches 1.1 m × 90 cm after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -15 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Toxic to children.

Illustration of Mediterranean spurge — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An evergreen sub-shrub with blue-grey leaves and a sculptural shape that carries huge lime-green flower heads in spring on two-year-old stems. It suits gravel beds, the foot of a sunny sheltered wall and Mediterranean style gardens, and needs hardly any water once established. Plant it only where the soil never stays wet in winter, because it copes badly with cold, wet winters, and mind the strongly irritant milky sap.

Watch out for

In Central Europe it sits at the edge of its hardiness: many sources call it reliable only down to roughly -15 to -18 °C, long snowless frost or icy wind can kill the stems and flower buds, and a hard winter can kill the whole plant. The roots rot in wet, heavy soil in winter, so plant it only in a very well drained, sunny, sheltered spot (for example in front of a south wall) and mulch the base loosely in late autumn. Variegated cultivars (such as 'Silver Swan', 'Tasmanian Tiger' and 'Glacier Blue') are more tender still. Plants are short-lived and thin out after a few years, but often renew themselves from seed. Cut flowered stems out at the base, always wearing gloves.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 1.1 m × 90 cm
Hardiness: down to -15 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D April–June, green, yellow

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	1.1 m × 90 cm
Ultimate size	0.6–1.5 m × 0.6–1.2 m
Hardiness	down to -15 °C (USDA 7, RHS H5)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	April–June, green, yellow
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	70 cm
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)
For children	Toxic
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Perennials for part shade Perennials for full sun Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant perennials Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Evergreen plants Perennials for pollinators Plants for containers Plants for a Mediterranean garden

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