Euphorbia characias is an upright euphorbia that is native to Southern Europe, the Balkans and Turkey. It typically grows on erect, woody-based, green stems to 3-4' tall and to 3' wide. Narrow, linear to obovate, blue-green leaves (to 5" long) are spirally arranged along the stems. Each stem is topped in spring by a thick, bottlebrush-like inflorescense of greenish-yellow flowers. Individual flowers lack petals, but have showy, petal-like, greenish-yellow bracts (cyathium in the genus Euphorbia is defined as a cup-like involucre). Zone 6-8.