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Euphorbia pruning
I have a euphorbia which has gone crazy. It's put out young plants (stolons?) everywhere and the 'parent' plane has flopped over. It's a mess! Can I cut it right back now and pull out the babies I don't want? Thanks
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I am not an expert but I thought a good rule with euphorbias was to prune after flowering unless you are happy to lose all this years flowers and run the risk of frost damage.
My understanding is that they are quite tough but they still would not like frost in open wounds. Only you can decide how much you like your plant. Could you repot the young plants and keep them in a greenhouse?
Remember euphorbia sap is toxic, you will need gloves and eye protectors and you have to clean your secetaurs, apologies if this is old news.
Thanks for the advice. I'll wait until it warms up and then do some pruning.
The milky sap is an irritant so be very careful what it touches - wear gloves etc. The whole plant is poisonous. I believe different varieties vary between mildly irritant and very nasty indeed, or it may be different people react more strongly.
If it's one of the running type,just dig out what you don't want. E. griffithii has to be kept under control this way. Others just form a nice compact stool. I have a chunk of some perennial wild type emerging from the hedge. It's where my new raised bed for herbs is going, so it's coming out today.
Sap on the skin is far worse if the skin is exposed to Sun. The sap photosensitises the skin.
I've learnt something today!
Thanks for the advice