Euphorbia lathyris AKA Mole Plant, Caper Spurge

Chartreuse flower bracts in spring top the tips of green leaves with white mid-ribs. Drought tolerant, native to the Mediterranean. It was introduced to the USA to deter garden ground burrowing rodents like moles. It has a milky sap that can cause contact dermatitis, which is no biggie. Just wear gloves when handling. Interesting large inflated seed pods gave rise to a common name ‘Caper Spurge’. All parts are poisonous, so … Don’t use it like a caper! Readily self-seeds and can become a nuisance. If you try it to deter rodents, be sure to chop off the seed-heads before ripening. Gifted to me by my good garden buddy Kathy after lamenting about my Mole invasion. Thank you Kathy! If you’re local, you may find plants from her beautiful gardens on Craigslist. 2-3 ft sub-shrub Bi-annual zone