Today’s blog features the Spurge, Euphorbia ‘Bonfire’ (USPP#18585, PBR), which comes to Rozanne and Friends™ from Mary Ann Faria, Owner of Limerock Plant Farm in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Her breeding goal was to create a new Euphorbia with red-colored leaves that remain all season long—not just in the fall as other Euphorbia varieties do. Its uniqueness earned it a place in the hearts of many Coloradoans, as it was featured as a Top-performing Perennial for both 2008 & 2009 at Colorado State University.
‘Bonfire’ has a compact, mounded habit and is free branching. New foliage is green but quickly turns to dark red-purple for the rest of the season. Bright yellow-red floral bracts in tight clusters provide a striking contrast for a long time in spring.
The colorful long-burn of Euphorbia ‘Bonfire’
With typical “bonfires”, we think of a great blaze that eventually dies down to glowing embers. And our ‘Bonfire’ does just that—after her initial yellow blaze, her foliage smolders all summer long!
And just like one enjoys those marvelous, melty chocolate-graham cracker-marshmallow treats with a traditional bonfire, we think that once you try Euphorbia ‘Bonfire’, you’ll want to order s’more!
For growers
- Typically plant 1 liner per quart or 2-3 liners for 6 to 8-inch (1 gallon) pots
- Plant in late summer and allow plants to bulk before vernalization. Overwinter outdoors or inside cold greenhouses. Allow plants to emerge and flower with naturally occurring spring temperatures. This method provides larger plants, more uniformity and more flowers.
- Alternatively, plant vernalized liners in March and April. Plants will not be as uniform, full or as floriferous as in bulked, overwintered crops.
- Media pH: 5.8 to 6.2; media EC: 1 to 1.5 mmhos/cm (saturated paste).
- Watch for: spider mites, thrips, botrytis.
- Allow plants to dry, but not wilt, between irrigations to prevent root and stem rot.
In the garden
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9; AHS Heat Zone: 9 to 4. Nice for containers, border fronts.
- Deer Friendly; Long Blooming
- Grow in full sun.
- Space 18 to 22 inches (46 to 51 cm) apart. Expected height is 10 inches (25 cm).
- Prefers average well-drained garden soils.
- Please note that this type of Euphorbia is not evergreen; it will die back for winter.