Is Chameleon Spurge deer resistant?
Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon'
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Chameleon Spurge
Rutgers rates this cultivar worse than the rest of the genus, which is unusual and worth noting. It also self-sows relentlessly, and the seedlings come up green rather than purple, so you weed constantly for a plant you did not want. Milky sap irritates skin. Most other euphorbias are the better choice.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 12 to 18 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Deer-resistant alternatives to Chameleon Spurge
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Chameleon Spurge keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to Chameleon Spurge
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- AvensGeum sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Balloon FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorusZones 3–8Occasionally damaged
- BellflowerCampanula glomerataZones 3–8Occasionally damaged
- Blanket FlowerGaillardia sp.Zones 3–10, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Bloody CranesbillGeranium sanguineumZones 3–9Occasionally damaged
- Cambridge GeraniumGeranium x cantabrigienseZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
Protecting Chameleon Spurge
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Chameleon Spurge grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list Chameleon Spurge belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Chameleon Spurge
- Is Chameleon Spurge deer resistant?
- Chameleon Spurge (Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon') is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Chameleon Spurge grow in?
- Chameleon Spurge is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Chameleon Spurge grow in shade?
- Yes. Chameleon Spurge tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- Is Chameleon Spurge toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Chameleon Spurge as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.