| leafy spurge |
USDA PLANTS Symbol: EUES USDA ARS GRIN: 16366 ITIS: 28064 NAPIS: PBVAGBE |
| Euphorbia esula L. | |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Euphorbiales: Euphorbiaceae |
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| Synonym(s): wolf's milk | |
Leafy spurge is an erect, perennial, herbaceous plant that grows from 2 to 3.5 ft. (0.6-1.1 m) tall. Leaves are oval-shaped, smooth and 1-4 in. (2.5-10.2 cm) long. The plant produces a milky sap if stem is broken or a leaf is removed. The stem is smooth and bluish-green. Flowering occurs in the late spring (and sometimes the late summer), when yellow flowers develop in clusters at the apex of the plant. Fruits are 3 lobed capsules that explode when mature, spreading seeds up to 15 ft. (4.6 m). Large infestations give the landscape a yellowish tinge due to the yellow bracts. Leafy spurge invades prairies, pastures and other open areas. It is a major pest of national parks and nature preserves in the western United States. It can completely overtake large areas of land and displace native vegetation. Leafy spurge is native to Europe and was introduced accidentally into North America in the early 1800s as a seed contaminate. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - USDA-APHIS
- Invasive Plant Atlas of New England - University of Connecticut
- Element Stewardship Abstract - The Nature Conservancy
- Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States - USDA Forest Service
- Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Foliage; Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Foliage of leafy spurge at peak of fall coloring. William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Close up of flower, near Fort Collins. William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Roots Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Roots Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); In grain Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower Norman E. Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Utah State University Archive, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Meadow in Rist Canyon, west of Fort Collins, invaded by leafy spurge. William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Research; research site Norman E. Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Todd Pfeiffer, Klamath County Weed Control, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
Taxonomic References:
- USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Invasive Listing Sources:
- City of Ann Arbor Michigan Parks and Recreation
- Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
- Faith Campbell, 1998. Plants that Hog the Garden: Invasive Plants in the United States. Fine Gardening Online
- Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns, Eds. 1997. Wisconsin manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants. Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 102pp.
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2005
- National Wildlife Refuge Association, Silent Invasion: A Call to Action from the National Wildlife Refuge Association, 2002. Washington DC. 17 pp.
- New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, 2004
- Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
- Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 1999.
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
- Alaska Noxious Weeds
- Arizona Noxious Weeds
- California Invasive Plant Council
- California Noxious Weeds
- Colorado Noxious Weeds
- Connecticut Noxious Weeds
- Iowa Noxious Weeds
- Idaho Noxious Weeds
- Kansas Noxious Weeds
- Massachusetts Noxious Weeds
- Michigan Noxious Weeds
- Minnesota Noxious Weeds
- Montana Noxious Weeds
- North Dakota Noxious Weeds
- Nebraska Noxious Weeds
- New Mexico Noxious Weeds
- Nevada Noxious Weeds
- Oregon Noxious Weeds
- South Dakota Noxious Weeds
- Utah Noxious Weeds
- Washington Noxious Weeds
- Wisconsin Noxious Weeds
- Wyoming Noxious Weeds
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