Plant of the Month – August
0Lady’s Slipper, Slipper Plant
Euphorbia lomelii, syn. Pedilanthus
macrocarpus
- Plant Form: Succulent
- Water Use: Low
- Mature Size: 3-4 ft. tall x 2-3 ft. wide
- Exposure: Full sun, part sun
- Bloom Time: Spring (Mar-May), Fall (Sept-Oct)
- Native to: Baja California, Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 25°F
This unusual, slow-growing succulent plant has tiny or no leaves on erect, lime-green photosynthetic stems. Its candle-like stems can grow up to 3 feet tall, or sometimes taller in the shade, and produce slipper-shaped orange-red flowers with nectar for hummingbirds.
Lady’s Slipper looks like it may have come from Dr. Seuss’ imagination, with its unusual bird-shaped flowers and candle-like, leafless stems. This distinctive succulent forms a clump of upright, mostly leafless, silvery green stems as thick as your finger, reaching 3-4 feet tall. This rush-like, clumping plant maintains an upright form in full sun or partial shade, but becomes more sprawling in full shade. Its red “slippers” contain tiny nectar-rich flowers that attract hummingbirds. Younger plants can be damaged by temperatures below freezing, but mature plants are hardy down to the mid-20 degrees F. To avoid cold damage, plant against a south-facing wall, under eaves, or in a container that can be moved to a protected area when low temperatures are expected. Lady’s Slipper makes a great container plant but can also grow well in the garden. Adapted to heat, aridity, and drought, it is popular in borders, rock gardens, raised planters, near foundations, pools, and water features. Mass plantings along a wall or in a raised bed can make a dramatic statement.
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