Leafy Spurge

Euphorbia esula

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Description and Life Cycle:

A perennial, spreading by seeds and buds on persistent, creeping roots. Stems are erect, 1 m tall and hairless or with only a few hairs near the top. Plants grow in clumps forming dense and extensive stands. Stalk-less leaves, 3-7 cm long and less than 5 mm wide, alternate one per node. A whorl of leaves marks the start of the flowering portion of the stem. Flower bracts, about 1 cm wide and 1.2 cm long with a sharp point, occur in pairs on flowering stems. Flowers lack petals and sepals, and are clustered with a pair of surrounding bracts such that the group resembles a single flower. Seeds are about 2 mm long, smooth, grey to yellow or brown and usually have a yellow bump near the base. Three seeds are produced per cluster. All parts of the plant contain a milky-coloured latex juice that can poison livestock and cause skin irritation on humans.

Biological Control Agents

• Aphthona cyparissiae - Beetle (flea-beetle)
• Aphthona czwalinae - Beetle (flea-beetle)
• Aphthona flava - Beetle (flea-beetle)
• Aphthona lacertosa - Beetle (flea-beetle)
• Aphthona nigriscutis - Beetle (flea-beetle)
• Hyles euphorbiae - Moth
• Lobesia euphorbiana - Moth
• Minoa murinata - Moth
• Spurgia esula – Midge (gall forming)
  

References

Cranston, R., D. Ralph and B. Wikeem. 2005. Field guide to noxious and other selected weeds of British Columbia. Gov. of BC. 94 p.

Powell, G. W., A. Sturko, B. Wikeem and P. Harris. 1994. Field guide to the biological control of weeds in British Columbia. B.C. Min. For. Res. Prog.