Petty Spurge is a herbaceous annual growing from 2 to 8 inches tall and is often considered a weed. It is small, branched, upright plant with pale green foliage and stems. It resembles leafy spurge ( Euphorbia esula ) but differs in that it is smaller in stature and does not spread by underground runners. It is native to most of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia and is widely distributed in North America and South America. It can typically be found on gardens, and other disturbed areas. Outside of its native range, it is widely naturalized and often invasive. It is a member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). The species epithet is derived from the Latin word peplos , which was a rectangular garment worn by women in Classical times. The meaning is obscure but may refer to the shape of the leaf. This plant prefers moist, well-drained soils of loam, clay, or sand. It will thrive in full sun to partial shade. It flowers most of the year and will spread in most disturbed sites. It is drought-resistant and is propagated by seedlings. No specific data are available on seed dormancy and germination, but plants are prolific seed producers and emerge beginning in the cool weather of fall and continue through late spring. Petty spurge has erect, branching stems, simple and oval-shaped leaves that measure up to 1 inch long. It has pale green flowers with triangular bracts. These distinctive bracts or modified leaves are below the small flowers. This plant is a very common weed and can be found in landscaped yards, flowerbeds, farmlands, and disturbed areas. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or other problems. The milky sap is a skin irritant and protective gloves should be worn when handling this plant. Keep out of reach of small children and pets. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Euphorbia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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; Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar; Erect
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Opposite
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Ovate, 1-inch leaves with smooth margins are alternate at the base and opposite further up the stem. The thin, soft leaves are ovate (sometimes rounded or obovate), pale green in color.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers are in three-rayed umbels are small and insignificant; yellowish-green in color, held in leafy bunches. Blooms from June to September.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is a very small, hairless, round, 3-lobed capsule that contains black to dark brown seeds with 3 to 4 pits on one side. The capsules are less than ¼ inch in diameter. The seeds are ca. 1/16 inch long.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Smooth, hairless stems that are red at the bottom and green at the top.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe to the Western Himalaya, Mediterranean to Somalia
Distribution
Native: Albania, Algeria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, Northwest European Russia, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South European Russia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, West Himalaya, Yemen and Yugoslavia. Introduced: Alberta, Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, British Columbia, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Great Britain, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Manitoba, Mexico, New Brunswick, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Paraguay, Peru, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Taiwan, Tasmania, Venezuela, West Siberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the United States--AL, AZ, CA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, MD, MA, MI, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC ND, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, and WI.
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
toxic if ingested
Uses (ethnobotany)
It is sometimes called Cancer Weed because components of its sap are being studied for the treatment of skin cancer, leukemia, warts and sunspots.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Woodland
Garden tags
#winter annual weed #sap #annual #poisonous #problem for children #problem for dogs #problem for cats #poisonous if ingested #contact dermatitis #drought tolerant #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs; Weedy
Resistant to
Drought
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Sap/Juice
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.