PlantFiles: Snow on the Mountain
Euphorbia marginata

This grows in Spokane, Wa, the Eastern part of the state where we have hot though dry summers 80s-90s, sometimes 100 degrees, wet springs, crisp falls and snowy winters, with degrees as low as the teens. I'm growing it in mostly shade with a little morning sun reflected (from a window) where nothing else except a very few weeds will grow.

A stellar garden plant - gorgeous foliage, beautiful habit - a great companion for other plants! Easy to grow from seed.

Warning: If you are allergic to Latex DO NOT handle any of these plants of the Euphorbia Family without using Protective Gloves & Goggles. The sap can cause moderate to severe burns, just by touching your skin. Worse if it gets in your eyes. This plant Family is related too the group of plants they use to extract Latex from.

I have two Snow on the Mountain planted together to hide my a/c after my fence blew down during the 2004 hurricanes. My first experience with these plants and have been very please and happy with them and love the way they look. Last night, I found them infested with the little catepillars others are mentioning. They are about 5' tall and the whole tops are chewed up. Not having anything quick to spray them, I ran out to local Home Depot. Checking out at the garden register, I mentioned the issue, and she said that they had just received a shipment in that was totally infested. I sent home and sprayed best I could, as it was dark now, but when I inspected them again this morning before going to work, still loaded with catepillars and more chewed up. So I sprayed again, but I'm just going to prune these back and see how they grow back.

I love the look of the plant. Even though the notes say this plant likes sun to partial shade all of mine are in FULL shade and doing well. And even though they are xeric they will also grow in standing water. The ones in standing water have a lot more stem than leaves v/s the ones I have in dirt.

The foliage is nice, but it loves to seed itself everywhere. It tends to get tall and flop. The best looking one I've had was one that got hit by a lawn mower when it was young; it grew back short and bushy.

Other names include: Ghost Weed, Kilimanjaro, Snow Top, and Summer Icicle.

Blooms August-September in my garden.

I have only recently became aware of this plant. It grows around the lake banks....I'm thinking very seriously of putting some of it in my flower garden this summer.

Although hardy and beautiful, beware the poison. I used this flower to decorate for a wedding and woke the next morning looking like something from a horror movie. I have never had such a serious reaction to a plant. The tissue around my eyes was swollen like golf balls. I have only just recovered. The skin is now wrinkled, scaly and red so that I look fifteen years older! Be careful!

great plant for borders have had it for a number of years this year though plant has been infested with catepillars taking the foliage down very fast

Being an avid butterfly gardener, I would recommend this plant to attract beautiful blue, red and white butterflies (very patriotic). The caterpillars will appear first and the plant may suffer slightly, but it recovers quickly and very well. The caterpillars are very interesting to look at and move about in an inch-worm like manner. It does well in the South Florida area, spreading nicely but not overpowering the area it is planted in. I recommend the plant be placed in front of a fence and plant other attractive plants in front of it. This way, when the caterpillars appear and eat the leaves (which they will) you may still have an attractive area. Some gardeners are tempted to spray and kill the caterpillars for the sake of the plant; I feel strongly against this. If you are patient, you will be rewarded with lots of beautiful butterflies in your garden.

Last week while using this plant in a cut flower arrangement I got the milky sap on my hands. Shortly after that I touched my eye which resulted in a severe burning reaction. I went to the pharmacy looking for eye drops to stop the burning. After using those for a couple hours with no success I went back to the pharmacy.The pharmacist suggested I try another type of eye drop. Hours later I went to a different pharmacy this pharmacist called poison control. They suggested I go to the E.R. and have it flushed. I recieved some disturbing information that stated " The white milky substance has been used for branding cattle rather than using a hot iron". After four long hours of flushing and a week of using an antibiotic cream in the eye I am fine. Beware if you get this substance on your skin or in the eye. Severe reaction can occur.

Wonderfully different plant! I love the grey-blue foliage and white bracts around the blooms. Mine grow over three feet tall in my Central Texas garden. They are natives here that I imported from the pasture to the garden. Very heat and drought tolerant, though do much better when given regular water.

I brought the seeds for this plant over from Germany from my mothers garden for it's striking foilage and white flowers. It needs very little attention as far as watering, soil etc. I do not collect the seeds I just let them fall to the ground in the fall. The plant can be somewhat of a pest as it throws the seeds far into the garden as the seedpods "pop" open. One negative aspect is it's milky sap which can cause a rash. I use this plant for cut flowers, but sear the ends mediately with a flame or dip them into boiling water.

I have found this plant to be both rewarding and pesty. It's color, size and shape add beauty to my flower garden. With it's color, it truly brightens up the other flowers, and makes my garden stand apart from the rest. You don't need to collect seeds unless you want them in a specific area of your garden. In the fall, as the seed pods ripen you can hear the pods "pop" open. I It also, however, can be somewhat of a pest. The plant throws many seeds far & wide, and can become profuse in the garden. But, with early recognition (they are very distinct) you can keep this plant where you want it. I will continue to use this plant in my garden.

. Grown for its striking foliage and mostly white flower bracts. Used to cover dry banks and other difficult areas, mixed bed, borders or the cutting bed. This hardy plant may also be used as a groundcover and will block out weeds with its vigorous growth. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions from rich to poor, moist to dry, baking sun or light shade. May be used as a cut flower if the cut ends are seared immediately with flame. Milky sap can cause a rash, so avoid getting it on your skin or in your eyes.

A bushy annual grown for foliage, the oval leaves are margined in white; uppermost are almost all white. I'm using it in a cutting bed to contrast with bright-colored annuals such as zinnias and salvias.

Before using in cut arrangements, dip stems in boiling water or hold in flame for a few seconds.