Euphoric about Euphorbia

A TASTE OF THE UNUSUAL



It is no secret that the majority of people get attracted to plants whose colorful display of strikingly wonderful blooms just can't go unnoticed. Being yet another odd person, I always loved to go astray and find delight in all those neglected, out-of-the-ordinary specimens which were doing their best to draw someone's attention, but were obviously poorly informed on the current trends in the world. Followed by my kinky needs, years ago I stumbled upon this uncanny plant and was instantly drawn to its alien strangeness. While climbing up the ruins of an old Venetian fortress, these strange, weird 'naked' shrubs caught my eye. Why 'naked'? They had exquisitely red bark (such a lovely burning color that would make even the Red-barked Dogwood feel cheap) and no foliage at all. But were still worth of all my admiration. To be honest, I haven't had the faintest idea of its origin. But one thing was sure, it wouldn't let me sleep until I had at least one of me own ;-) I noticed a beautiful, solitary specimen on the high cliff overlooking the beach that was closed due to rock-slide. And amid all that earthquake waste material, I found little babies popping out underneath the mother plant. A gentle pull and I had two of them ready to be 'processed' and balled. Thanks to impeckable airport luggage control system, nobody noticed these two extraterrestrials cramming inside.


The first thing I noticed about them living in their new habitat (pot), and constantly having sufficient amounts of water, was the leaves that started popping out. I figured out that the plant must be really extremely drought resistant, so in periods of great droughts which can last for months on Kefalonia, they discard the leaves and thus their uncanny summer-look. I was worried about not knowing it's ID and its needs so again, I turned to my friend Jackie, who is an excellent connoisseur of the island's flora (be sure to check her extraordinary albums of Kefalonian flora). She went back to the place where I have first seen them, to take a shot at what they looked like at the moment (spring).

(photo by Jackie Banham; many thanks for not falling into the sea
and taking this shot, it has made all the difference)

It was this very shot that started all the turmoil in my restless mind. It sure as hell looked like a type of Euphorbia and I was now determined to find out which variety it was. And the clues lead us to one particular variety - Euphorbia dendroides / Tree spurge. The funny thing is, the next thing I did, I googled up the photos for this plant, and found out that many of them were shot at the south of Croatian Adriatic coast. Shame on me for being so poor on my country's flora!
This summer I discovered entire areas where these plants have colonized the rocky cliffs and took a closer look into their enigma. Since I can remember, I've had a thing for Euphorbias, never mind them being small succulents, grass-like or huge trees. That's why, ultimately, my infatuation with this beauty came as no surprise to anyone. Even though the fact that I was constantly on about this insignificant, bare, lame bush did cause a whining avalanche...


To reduce my babbling, let me introduce the plant properly. As it bloody well deserves.

Venue: Kefalonia, Ionian islands, Greece (for a change ;-)
Specie: Mediterranean Tree Spurge (Euphorbia dendroides)

''(200)cm, Mediterranean Tree Spurge is a beautiful, semi hardy, densely branching, woody shrub like species with showy orange red leaves before plants start their summer dormancy. Native of coastal areas throughout the Mediterranean. Easily grown in pots in any rich, well drained soil in a sunny spot throughout the year. In winter keep drier at a minimum of some 5°C. USDA climate zone 10. III-VI.''
(from Rareplants.de)


''Euphorbia dendroides L. (Euphorbiaceae) Native of the Mediterranean region, from the Isles de Hyères in S. France, southwards, and eastwards to Israel, growing on rocky, usually limestone slopes and cliffs near the sea, at up to 400 m, flowering from March-May. An evergreen shrub to 2 m; leaves 2-6.5 cm long. Glands shortly 2-horned. Seeds 2.5-3 mm, pale grey. Dry, well-drained soil, without water in summer. Full sun. Hardy to -5°C.'' (Rogers Trees and Shrubs)

So far I have smuggled three of these beauties and intend to try one as an outdoor plant next year, against the dry, south wall.

• a monoecious plant
• fleshy skeleton during summer (accumulates water in its remaining tissues)
• with the arrival of fall rains, the foliage reappears
• as all of the Euphorbia genus, has a white latex which can give you a nettle-like rash
• in the past: Tree Spurge latex was used for illegal fishing - poured into streams to stun and more easily catch fish and eels
• also called 'wolf-milk' bush in Croatia
• finally, one mystery remains - these unusual plants are very difficult to find commercially, but have not been adopted by nurseries
  

Driftwood Spurge

For many, yet another maquis plant,
for me - pure Euphoria !

Travelogue: Kefalonia - a taste of untamed Greece

I have drifted away from the gardening themes. Only for a while though. Apart from the general lethargy the weather has inflicted upon me, I didn't really get the chance to do some gardening without needing an umbrella one minute and a snow shovel the next. And now its raining again. I used to love rain, I loved the exquisite scent in the air just before the storm (not the one from the sewer obviously), and I never thought I'd be so susceptible to weather changes. Nag, nag, nag...

Island of Lopud, Croatia

To make up for all this nagging and to cheer up both myself and anyone else in need I'm going to tell you a 'short' story about a place I still consider a hidden peace of heaven. I do come from a small country that has been generously graced by an astounding amount of natural beauty, a breathtaking coast and the crystal-clear Adriatic sea. 1185 islands, islets and reefs and each has a different story to tell. We don't exaggerate (not that much) when we say that nowhere else will you find a sea as clean as the Croatian Adriatic and that Croatia is ecologically one of the best preserved European countries. You don't need more than that to get all proud & patriotic every now and then. But then there's this place that feels just like home and leaves you in awe of all the untamed beauty and one of nature's very best attempts to make another masterpiece. So welcome to Kefalonia, an extraordinary island that has made me an eternal captive. The sea is as turquoise as on the brochure, the food as tasty as the mouth-watering descriptions, the dramatic scenery takes your breath away, and as for the locals go, they make this Greek island such an unforgettable place.

the world famous Myrtos beach, Kefalonia

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands and the sixth largest of all the Greek islands. Nevertheless, although earning some prestige as setting for the film based on the wonderful book by L. de Bernieres ''Cpt Corelli's Mandolin'', Kefalonia is still mostly untouched by the evil tentacles of mass tourism I think of it as a paradise lost and found, which has had and still has a true greek spirit in its purest form. No view from the balcony of a 5* hotel could ever make you feel as blessed as a dusty old dirt-track somewhere on the kefalonian west coast, a piece of rock to climb on and a breathtaking view of the deep, blue Ionian sea in all its might, followed by a distant tinkle of a goat bell somewhere among the countless olive groves. Truly a taste of untamed Greece. You can't but be mesmerized by its sparkling creeks, beaches and scenery dotted with century-old olive trees, cypress forests and forgotten villages. In lord Byron's footsteps (who wrote his Don Juan here during the Greek War of Independence), you are tempted to discover Kefalonia's mysterious geological phenomena - its caves, its underground streams and lakes, and its stark rocky landscape.

It was not my intention to sound like a brochure, but reading back I can see I'm on my best way to get there. So I'll just do what was initially my wish - to share some views of Kefalonia through a glimpse of a gardener and most of all, nature lover. If, on the other hand, you wish to find out more tricks and trinkets about this amazing place, feel free to visit my Kef website as I have (appropriately ;-) placed it among my favourite links.

... one of many forest paths...

Sissia - one of Kef's secret beaches, adorned with lush greenery and oleanders

Fiskardo - a village in bloom

Bougainvilleas galore



Sission ruins- a monastery founded by St Francis of Assisi;
up there in the background is MtAinos, home to dark forests
of a unique Greek fir (Abies cephalonica), an endemic specie


Kourkumelata - the prettiest village,
with the prettiest gardens

Visions of Kefalonia

... more to come !