Invasive Plant Details
Back to Full ListLeafy Spurge
Latin Name: Euphorbia esula
Identification
Flower: Small, yellow-green flowers with showy yellow bracts that bloom from late spring to midsummer.
Leaves: Narrow, lance-shaped, and bright green with smooth edges.
Stems: Erect, smooth, and branching, growing up to 1 meter tall.
Growing Environment: Prefers dry to moderately moist soils in pastures, fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas.
Growth Habit: A perennial herb that spreads aggressively through an extensive root system and by seed. It forms dense colonies that are highly persistent and difficult to control. In situ, leafy spurge often appears as dense, bright green stands with yellow flowers that dominate disturbed landscapes.
Impacts on Environment
Impacts: Highly invasive, particularly in grasslands and disturbed areas, where it can form dense monocultures that crowd out native species.
