Gopher Plant: Vivid Spring Color

Gopher plant is a succulent-like ground cover that’s studded with vivid chartreuse flowers that almost glow every spring. Here’s how to plant and care for this Mediterranean perennial.

Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida) is a stunning ground cover that’s native to dry parts of the Mediterranean. Every spring, its whorls of green-gray leaves are topped with brilliant yellow-green flowers.

When in bloom, these high-viz flowers are show-stoppers! There’s really nothing else like it in the southwest desert landscape.

And even when not in bloom, gopher plant is an attractive, nicely shaped, symmetric ground cover that looks great all year round. This low-maintenance plant makes a perfect addition to rock gardens or berms, or alongside boulders.

Gopher plant supposedly repels gophers and other rodents, hence its name. I don’t know how well that works, but our top desert pests — rabbits and javelinas — generally leave it alone.

Why I Like This Plant

• Attractive succulent adds architectural interest all year long
• Eye-catching chartreuse flowers
• Low maintenance, needs little water, litter-free
• Reseeds, but not aggressively
• Flowers attract bees
• Critter resistant

Things to Watch Out For

Like all members of the Euphorbia genus, gopher plant exudes milky sap that is toxic to ingest and can be irritating to the skin.

Optimal Growing Conditions

If you’re thinking of adding a gopher plant to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good.

Here are the key factors to keep in mind.

Temperature

Gopher plant should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. These plants are cold-hardy down to 10℉ and are generally considered heat-loving.

But the past two summers have pushed them to the limit, and some gardeners report theirs have succumbed to the heat. So don’t plant this in the hottest spot in your yard.

Sun Exposure

Gopher plants like full or part sun but should not be planted where they receive reflected heat. They can get leggy when grown in too much shade.

Size and Growth Rate

Gopher plant is a moderate grower that ultimately reaches a size of 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide. Individual stems die back after flowering while new ones continually emerge, keeping the overall size in check.

Soil

Gopher plant is not particular about soil and grows in any soil type, provided it’s well-draining.

Other Location Considerations

Since gopher plant is toxic and its sap can be irritating, keep it away from kids and pets.

Gopher plant looks great in containers. Make sure your pot has drainage holes and use specifically formulated cactus soil.

Gopher Plant:
The Essentials

Common Names	Gopher plant, silver spurge
Scientific Name	Euphorbia rigida
Origin	Mediterranean
Plant Type	Succulent-like perennial
USDA Zones	Zones 8 – 11
Cold Hardiness	To 10℉
Flower Color	Yellow-green
Flower Season	Later winter, spring
Mature Size	1-2′ high x 2-3’ wide
Growth Rate	Moderate
Sun Tolerance	Full sun, part shade
Water Needs	Low
Pests & Diseases	Root rot
Toxicity	Toxic, skin irritant
Wildlife	Attracts bees Rabbit, javelina resistant

How to Plant

Dig a hole as deep as and twice as wide as the nursery container. Carefully remove the plant from the container, put it in the hole, and press the soil to remove any air pockets.

It’s generally recommended that you backfill with only native soil and not add any amendments. However, good drainage is critical. So if you know your soil is slow draining, amend with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.

When handling gopher plants which ooze irritating sap, wear gloves. I put a pair of inexpensive disposable gloves over my regular gardening gloves and then toss when done. If you get sap on your gardening tools, clean them thoroughly before putting them away.

When to Plant

The best time to plant succulents is in April or May when warm soil temperatures encourage root development.

How to Care for Gopher Plant

Whether you’ve recently planted a new gopher plant or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.

How to Water

You’re probably used to giving a plant a good soaking immediately after transplanting, but that isn’t the best practice with desert succulents like gopher plant.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum advises not to water succulents for one to two weeks after planting. Then use the following schedule as a guide.

Spring and Fall	Every 3-5 weeks
Summer	Every 2-4 weeks
Winter	Only if no winter rains

Should You Fertilize?

There is no need to fertilize gopher plants, they get all they need from the surrounding desert soil. But if you keep one in a pot, fertilize lightly a few times a year when it’s actively growing.

Pruning and Propagation

Gopher plant flowers appear at the end of stems in early spring. When the flowers start to die, they turn pinky-beige and look like small clusters of mini-hydrangeas.

Over the next few months, the stems that flowered will die back and new stems will emerge. In the meantime, seeds get scattered.

If you don’t want your gopher plant to reseed, cut back the flowering stems before they go to seed. If you would like your gopher plant to multiply, let the stems die back on their own.

Plant Lover Facts

Gopher plant has many common names that almost always include the word spurge — silver spurge, rigid spurge, myrtle spurge, upright myrtle spurge, narrow leaf spurge, and blue euphorbia.

Gopher plant “flowers” are technically modified leaves known as bracts. Other familiar “flowers” that are bracts include bougainvillea and poinsettia.

Did you enjoy this article?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
where you’ll find more great info on creating &
maintaining a beautiful, carefree desert landscape.

Photo Credits

Arizona State University’s Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants