Spurge Euphorbia hirta
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Spurge:
Previously known as:
- Chamaesyce gemella
- Chamaesyce hirta
- Euphorbia gemella
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-FOR-bee-uh HER-tuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Garden spurge is an herbaceous annual plant considered to be a warm-season weed in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It originates from tropical and subtropical Americas but has spread to Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. It is found in lawns, agricultural areas, roadsides and in the nursery trade. It can also be found in planting beds, sidewalk cracks, or between patio pavers. The specific epithet, hirta, is Latin for hairy and references the plants stems.
This plant can grow in full sun to full shade. It tolerates most growing conditions including poor soils. It can grow in almost any type of soil and grows rapidly. It does require moderate amounts of water and well-drained soil. Garden spurge is intolerant to frost, but it serves as annual in temperate areas that have warm or hot summers. Each plant can produce thousands of seeds over the growing season. Several thousand seeds can be produced by one plant over 2 to 3 months.
The stems are round, reddish-purple and covered with long yellowish-brown hairs and short white hairs. The stems grow 6 to 20 inches in length and are prostrate to ascending. The leaves are opposite, oblong to lanceolate with a pointed tip, and green with a reddish to purplish coloring. The tiny flowers are produced in small clusters in the leaf axils and are green to brown to pinkish in color. The fruits are a 3-lobed capsule and contain reddish-brown seeds. The seeds have no dormancy period and germinate once they are dispersed by the wind or water.
Garden spurge could be used as a ground cover, bed border, or container planting, if desired.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites.Fungal diseases such as powdery mildew can occur.
This plant can be weedy and may be controlled by hoeing or hand pulling. Mulch will help prevent seeds from germinating as they need light to do so. Chemical control can be done with most postemergence herbicides and systemic herbicides such as glyphosate.
As with most euphorbias, the stems contain a milky sap that may cause contact dermatitis. Wear protective gloves when handling this plant. All parts of this plant are toxic, if ingested. Monitor small children and pets in the presence of this plant.
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:
- hirta
- Family:
- Euphorbiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Traditional medicinal herb in some tropical countries.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical and Subtropical Americas
- Distribution:
- Native: United States--Al, AZ, CA, FL, GA, LA, MS, NV, NM, NC, SC, TX, and UT; Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela; Introduced: United States--AR, HI, MD, NY, and WI; Angola, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Botswana, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Gabon, India, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Wales, New Zealand North, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Queensland, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Western Australia, Zambia, Zaire, and Zimbabwe.
- Play Value:
- Easy to Grow
- Edibility:
- Herbal teas can be made from the leaves
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Erect
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- 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
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a 3-lobed capsule that is hairy and yellowish and measures 0.08 by 0.06 inches. Fruits from a single plant can produce up to 3000 tiny, oblong, four-sided, reddish-brown seeds. The capsules dry and dehisce to disperse the seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The tiny flowers have no petals and occur in ball-shaped clusters (Cyathia) in the leaf axils. Reduced, bract-like leaves occur under the inflorescences. The flower cluster measures 0.2 to 0.4 inches in diameter and is tan to greenish to pink.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Green leaves may have reddish-purple spots and measure 0.5 to 1.5 inches long. They have a pointed tip, serrated margins and are oblong to lanceolate in shape. If the plants are grown in poor soil the leaf color becomes red.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The reddish-purplish stems are round and densely covered with long yellowish-brown hairs and short white hairs. They are prostrate to ascending and can measure 6 to 20 inches long. The stems are filled with a milky white latex sap.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Poor Soil
- 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 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
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
