Leafy Spurge
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Leafy Spurge
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)
Class A Weed
Leafy Spurge Management
Description: Leafy spurge is an aggressive, up to 3 feet tall, creeping perennial with roots often exceeding 25 feet deep. Stems are thickly clustered, smooth, and contain milky white latex. Leaves are alternate, narrow, entire, and 1 to 4 inches long. Flowers are yellowish green, small, and enclosed by paired, heart-shaped, yellow green bracts. The fruiting structure is a three-celled capsule, with each capsule containing one seed. Upon maturation the capsule ruptures, dispersing seed as far as 15 feet.
Origin: North Africa. The first reported infestation in the United
States occurred near Deming, New Mexico, in the 1920s.
Key Characteristics:
- Linear leaves
- Milky, latex juice in plant
- Heart-shaped, yellow green bracts subtending a small flower
- Extensive root system with numerous pink buds, which will be the next year's growth
Distribution: Within the state there have been several isolated, large populations and several smaller populations.
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