Wild Hippo Euphorbia corollata
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Galarhoeus corollatus
- Tithymalopsis corollata
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-FOR-bee-ah kor-ol-LAY-tah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Flowering spurge is an upright herbaceous perennial that is slender, diffusely branched, and, has whorls of blue-green leaves and airy white flowers. It is native to southeast Canada and the central and eastern United States. It is a member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It can be found as a wildflower in forests, natural areas at the edge of woods, or as a weed in disturbed areas along roadsides, waste places, and old fields. It can grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet and and equally as wide. The specific epithet, corollata, is Latin and means "with a corolla" or small garland.
Flowering spurge prefers full sun and dry conditions and tolerates almost any kind of soil, including loam, clay, sand, gravel, or rocky material as long as they are well-drained. Thriving in poor soil is an advantage for this plant because it reduces competition. It may be propagated by division, root cuttings, or seeds.
The stems are bright green, erect, and up to 3 feet tall. The arrangement of the plant's leaves is distinctive, being alternate along the length of each stem, but changing to a whorl of three or more just beneath a flower. Flowering spurge is monoecious, meaning that male and female flowers are produced on the same plant. Flowers bloom from early summer to early autumn, with no fragrance. During the bloom, an entire plant may lean to one side because of the weight of its inflorescence. After bloom, the female flowers become capsules and contain the seeds. When the capsule matures, it will split open to eject their seeds. The root system consists of a taproot that becomes woody with age.
Flowering spurge can be used as a groundcover for a border, cottage garden, or prairies and meadows.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
The sap of the flowering spurge is toxic and can cause skin and eye irritation. Wear eye protection and protective gloves when handling this plant. All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. Keep out of reach of small children and pets.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euphorbia
- Species:
- corollata
- Family:
- Euphorbiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Flowering spurge has been used as a laxative, but it is poisonous in large doses. Native Americans also used this plant to treat cancer, urinary tract infections, and as an ointment for wounds.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast Canada to Central and Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- Native: United States--AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA MD, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, and WI, Canada--Ontario. Introduced: Chad, United States--ME, MA, MI, MN, NH, SD, and VT
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollen and nectar attracts bees and other pollinators. Many types of birds eat the seeds such as bobwhite, quail, and mourning doves.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- drought
- Edibility:
- Toxic if ingested.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- After blooming, the female flowers are replaced by 3-celled capsules of small seeds, globoid, and 3-lobed in shape; there is one seed for each cell of a capsule. At maturity, these capsules split open to eject their seeds. The seeds are ovoid-obovoid in shape, and finely mottled. Fruits appear between June and October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Each mature stem terminates in a panicle of flowers up to 9 inches long and 12 inches across. This panicle is somewhat flat-headed and it has an open airy appearance. Individual flower clusters (called cyathia) span about ¼ inch across (including their petaloid bracts). Each cyathium functions like a complete flower and has the tiny unisexual flowers, 5 white petaloid bracts, and 5 green nectar glands at the bases of these bracts. Because flowering spurge is monoecious, separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are produced on the same plant. Each male flower has several stamens, while each female flower has an ovary with a tripartite style. The petaloid bracts are obovate in shape; sometimes they are slightly notched at their tips. The branches and pedicels of the inflorescence are light green, glabrous, and terete; pairs of small leafy bracts up to ½ inch long occur at the bases of pedicels and where the branches divide. The blooming period occurs from early summer to early autumn, lasting about 1 to 2 months between June to September for a colony of plants. There is no floral fragrance.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Opposite
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate leaves occur along the entire length of each stem, except at the apex underneath an inflorescence, where the uppermost leaves occur in a whorl of 3 or more. They are widely spreading to ascending. Individual leaves are up to 2½ inches long and ½ inch across; they are linear-oblong to oblong in shape and their margins are entire (toothless). The tips of these leaves are blunt, while their bases are sessile or nearly so. The upper and lower leaf surfaces are light bluish-green to medium green and glabrous (rarely the lower leaf surface is pubescent). Leaf venation is pinnate with prominent central veins. The foliage of this plant contains a toxic white latex.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are unbranched, except at their apices, where the inflorescences occur. Each stem is light green, terete, glabrous, and sometimes glaucous (rarely it is pubescent).
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- The milky white latex sap found in all plant parts can cause mild to severe contact dermatitis. If contact with the eyes occurs the sap can cause temporary to permanent damage to the cornea. If eaten, blistering can occur on lips and oral mucosa. Avoid ingesting plant parts and keep plants away from pets and children.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Diterpene esters in milky latex
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
