One of my favorite plants is described as having ‘chartreuse-colored’ flowers.
Just saying the word, ‘chartreuse’ sounds fancy, doesn’t it?
So what color is chartreuse anyway?
Well, I looked up the definition and found this definition from Wikepedia:
– “a color halfway between green and yellow that resembles a French liqueur called Chartreuse.”
The only reason that I know what color chartreuse is, is because of the flowers produced by this favorite plant of mine…
Colorful Flowers
They are pretty, aren’t they?
What I find quite funny about this plant is that while the color of its flowers have a fancy French name – the common name of this plant is somewhat derogatory.
Beautiful Colorful Flowers of Euphorbia biglandulosa
This succulent plant with the fancy-colored flowers is known as a ‘gopher plant’.
In late winter and early spring, chartreuse-colored flowers appear in zone 9a, providing a welcome splash of color.
As the flowers age, they take on a different appearance that I like as well…
They do great in full sun or light shade. Gopher plants don’t need any special care. Just provide well-drained soil and supplemental water. The only thing to be careful of is not too overwater them – no more then once a week during the warm months.
Once they are done flowering, prune back the old stems. Gopher plants (Euphorbia biglandulosa), grow approximately 2 ft. wide and 1 ft. high.
I like planting them nearby boulders or in groups of three.
I often recommend this plant to clients, but I don’t call it ‘gopher plant’ because let’s face it; would you want to add a plant called that without having seen it first?
Instead, I refer to it as “an attractive succulent with chartreuse-colored” flowers.
Which would you prefer to have in your garden; a gopher plant OR a succulent with chartreuse-colored flowers?
