A Brilliant and Low-Care Mediterranean Border
Plant Combinations, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Fall Borders, Winter Borders
Glowing in the last hours of the day, the small polka-dotted pads of Opuntia microdasys (Bunny Ears) turn a golden color, transforming this water-wise border into a Mediterranean paradise. They contrast with the barrel-shaped Echinocactus grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus) whose ribs resemble an accordion, expanding and contracting as the plant stores and uses water.
Barrel-shaped to columnar, Ferocactus pilosus (Mexican Lime Cactus) features prominent ribs adorned with areoles sprouting bright red spines. Both barrel cacti have a strong presence in the garden.
Adding height and drama to the planting is the columnar cephalocereus senilis (Old Man Cactus) draped in a coat of long, white silky hairs. It is joined by one of the most striking and picturesque Mediterranean plants, Euphorbia canariensis (Canary Island Spurge), a small succulent shrub adorned with up to 150 vertical branches as thick as a man's arm.
Terrific at adding texture, color, and shape to the landscape, all these plants look good year-round, are deer resistant, and drought tolerant and some have even won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Garden Information
Hardiness |
9 – 11
|
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil Ph | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
Attracts | Bees |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
Garden Styles | Mediterranean Garden |
Great Plant Combination Ideas with Euphorbia - Spurges Great Plant Combination Ideas with Opuntia
JoannaTkaczuk, Shutterstock
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Garden Information
Hardiness | 9 – 11
|
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil Ph | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
Attracts | Bees |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
Garden Styles | Mediterranean Garden |
Great Plant Combination Ideas with Euphorbia - Spurges Great Plant Combination Ideas with Opuntia
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Opuntia microdasys (Bunny Ears)
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Echinocactus grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus)
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Cephalocereus senilis (Old Man Cactus)
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Ferocactus pilosus (Mexican Lime Cactus)
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Euphorbia canariensis (Canary Island Spurge)
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