Cushion spurge 'Bonfire'

Questions about cushion spurge 'Bonfire'

Does cushion spurge 'Bonfire' need sun or shade?

Cushion spurge 'Bonfire' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does cushion spurge 'Bonfire' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does cushion spurge 'Bonfire' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late April to late May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should cushion spurge 'Bonfire' be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 20 in (50 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 16 in (40 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many cushion spurge 'Bonfire' plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is cushion spurge 'Bonfire' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs and cats. The sap can irritate skin and eyes. Can cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like cushion spurge 'Bonfire'?

These come closest to doing what cushion spurge 'Bonfire' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Goldenrod 'Golden Fleece': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late August to early October.
• Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers mid June to late August.
• Black-eyed Susan 'Little Goldstar': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers mid July to mid September.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat cushion spurge 'Bonfire'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after cushion spurge 'Bonfire'?

Cushion spurge 'Bonfire' is over by late May. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lady's mantle: from late May to early July, 18 in tall.
• Creeping thyme: from early June to mid July, 3 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Butterfly weed: from late June to early August, 24 in tall.

What does cushion spurge 'Bonfire' look like in winter?

Cushion spurge 'Bonfire' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.