Super spurge

Euphorbia stygiana is a critically endangered plant which is endemic to Santa Maria Island in the Azores. I'm not sure why is so rare, but it's a wonderful plant in the garden, though mine is still quite young - I was given it as a small plant last year.


We grow Euphorbia mellifera, which comes from Madeira and seeds around here, but I think that this Azorean species is better. There is a hybrid between the two which I'd like to get hold of.


My extra picture today is of a group of the extremely rare Blechnum palmiforme, an endemic fern from Gough Island in the South Atlantic. These plants were grown from spores by my late friend Jamie Taggart and are very desirable. Unfortunately one of them has been stolen - you can see the space where it grew to the left of the others. The thief is very lucky that I didn't catch him or I would have made a citizen's arrest and tied him up! I may well have to dig the others up and grow them where nobody can see them! This plant would have filled a large rucksack - I was so angry!