Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' PPAF

A sun-lover that appreciates soil which is not overly rich (go easy on the fertilizer!), 'Ascot Rainbow' is ideal for containers as well as the border, rockery, and meadow garden. Its new foliage emerges in spring tipped in bright rosy-red against a blue-green base edged in cream. The red tones vanish as the weather warms, only to return again when the chilly temperatures of autumn arrive. Long, slender, and very symmetrical, the leaves have a succulent look that is most appealing.

Spring also brings out the blooms, which are tubular with a tiny scallop of richest ruby-red at the center against a base of lime and green, also edged in cream. They sit atop the foliage most charmingly, and last all season long. What a delightful way to wake up the perennial garden each year!

'Ascot Rainbow' is utterly carefree, troubled by no known pests or diseases and quite immune to heat and drought. You might expect it therefore to be invasive, but in fact it remains quite compact, spreading just a bit over time. It forms a neat mound 20 inches high and wide, ideal for containers as well as the front or middle of the sunny border.

Bred from a cross of E. charachias x E. amygdaloides 'Rubra,' 'Ascot Rainbow' is absolutely essential for gardeners in temperate and warm climates. The northern limit of its hardiness in this country has not been tested yet, but is believed to extend into zone 6. Conservatively, we recommend it for zones 7 through 10. Try it at once; you will be richly repaid by its beauty and ease of culture!