Flowering Spurge

Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

Flowering Spurge
Euphorbia corollata [C-value 2]
Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae)
Blooms July- August

The native Flowering Spurge is common in our area. It prefers full sun and slightly moist to dry conditions. This perennial is ½–3' tall, producing one or more stems that are unbranched, except at their apices, where the flowers occur. It has alternate leaves along the the stem, except at the apex underneath the flower where the leaves occur in a whorl of 3 or more. Individual leaves are up to 2½" long and ½" across and are linear-oblong in shape and toothless. Each mature stem terminates in a panicle of flowers with an open airy appearance. The bright white 5-petal flowers are only about ¼" across.

Flowering Spurge at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 2, 2014

Flowering Spurge foliage at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 2, 2014

Flowering Spurge at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve July 17, 2015

Flowering Spurge foliage at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 29, 2016

Its milky sap can cause skin and eye irritation in some people.

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