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Flowering spurge

Euphorbia corollata

Also called American Spurge, Blooming Spurge, Eastern Flowering Spurge, Poison Milkweed, Floweringspurge Euphorbia

Flowering spurge
Photo: Cody Hough, CC BY-SA 3.0

Flowering spurge is a native North American perennial herb with white bracts that bloom from June to September. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and tolerates drought well, but its taproot makes it hard to move once established.

Family
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly; established plants are drought tolerant and need little supplemental water.
Soil
Well-drained soil of most types, including poor or sandy ground.
Temperature
Hardy in cold winters across much of North America; protect young plants from extreme heat stress.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: The milky sap can irritate skin and eyes, and the plant is poisonous if eaten in quantity.
Native range
SE. Canada to C. & E. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Euphorbia corollata is an herbaceous perennial plant in the family Euphorbiaceae that is native to North America. A common name for the species is flowering spurge. It has a milky sap that can cause skin and eye irritation in some people. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) tall, with smooth stems and light green leaves arranged alternately or in whorls. Leaves are about 10 mm (1/2 in) wide and 75 mm (3 in) long. Each stem terminates in a panicle 20 to 25 mm (3/4 to 1 in) across. Flowers are about 6 mm (1/4 in) across and consist of one pistillate and several staminate flowers surrounded by five white bracts - not petals but formed from the involucre at the base of the flowers. Flowering spurge blooms from June to September.

Where it grows

Flowering spurge grows in most soil types as long as they are well-drained. It is usually found in prairies, pastures, glades, and along roads and train tracks. It has excellent drought tolerance and develops a deep taproot. It is difficult to transplant once established.

Uses

The plant can be used as a laxative, but is poisonous if eaten in quantity.

Other Euphorbia plants

Marble Canyon spurge · Abd Al Kuri Euphorbia · Euphorbia abdita · Euphorbia abdulghafooriana · Abram's Spurge · Desert Candle · Euphorbia acalyphoides · Greek Spiny Spurge · Euphorbia actinoclada · Pointed Sandmat · Euphorbia adenopoda · Miniature Saguaro

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Euphorbia corollata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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