Monday 5 September 2011

Macro Monday - Spurge

This strange and wonderful plant is a spurge - that means it's in the genus Euphorbia for those who like to know such things.

If flowers - with green flowers - in late winter and into the start of spring. It has what I think landscape designers call an "Architectural Quality" and I have to say it does look rather good.

What the gardening types don't tell you what they recommend it is that it is pollinated by flies! So, as the year warms up and the sun warms the north face of our house, the spurge plants on each side of the steps seem to attract most of the flies that live in SE Australia. Walking up to the door generates the sort of swarm normally associated with a dead horse! It's not always a great way to be greeted - "hello and welcome to our house - and if you could come in before the flies do that would be very nice!" For all their Architectural Quality they have had there last spring! but before they go I thought I'd put up a post about them. So here it is!






You can find more macro images here at Macro Monday - hope you like the close ups

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful details when viewed large. Happy MM

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  2. I really like these! They are so vibrant!

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  3. I like the flowers, but I don't envy you the flies;)

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  4. Very interesting. Do they smell awful? The flies would be rather off-puting!

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  5. I adore this plant and had it next to a Ice Cream bush and it looked amazing with the two plants together. Somehow I lost it,,,;(

    Veronica

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  6. very interesting flower I think. :) Thanks for sharing.

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  7. yep! That's the plant I saw!!!

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