Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 9a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | butter |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | spreading |
| Mature height | 6 inches |
| Spread | 20 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to average |
| Plant origin | import |
The True Vingerpol
Botanical name: Euphorbia esculenta
An unusual succulent that spreads slowly by suckering; pale yellow flowers appear in late winter and spring, on blue-green stems; an interesting groundcover for a dry sunny area.
Other names: Medusa Head, syn. Euphorbia inermis var. laniglans
Ornamental Features
The True Vingerpol is clothed in stunning clusters of buttery yellow pincushion flowers at the ends of the branches from late winter to early spring. It has attractive bluish-green foliage. The succulent narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
The True Vingerpol is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
The True Vingerpol is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
The True Vingerpol will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division.
The True Vingerpol makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
