# Flowering Spurge (*euphorbia corollata*) Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata) is an elegant and resilient perennial wildflower native to the prairies and open woodlands of North America. Often mistaken for Baby's Breath due to its delicate, cloud-like clusters of white blossoms, this plant is actually a members of the spurge family. It thrives in dry, nutrient-poor soils where other plants struggle, acting as a crucial food source for diverse native pollinators during the hot summer months. Its deep taproot makes it highly drought-tolerant, and like other spurges, it features a distinctive milky white sap. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Found in dry prairies, sandy savannas, rocky glades, and along sunny roadsides across central and eastern North America. ![Flowering Spurge](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/472606229/medium.jpg) Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/472606229) ## Appearance This species stands erect at heights between 30 and 90 cm, with smooth, light-green stems that branch near the upper portion. Its leaves are narrow, oblong, and light green, arranged alternately along the lower stem and whorled beneath the inflorescence. The most striking visual feature is the cluster of small flowers; what appear to be five white petals are actually modified leaves (bracts) surrounding tiny, yellow-green cyathia at the center. When any part of the stem or leaf is broken, a thick, white, milky sap quickly oozes out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malpighiales - **Family:** Euphorbiaceae - **Genus:** Euphorbia ## Interesting facts - Historically, Native Americans utilized small, controlled doses of the root as a powerful purgative and laxative. - Its milky latex sap can cause severe skin irritation and blistering in humans, behaving similarly to poison ivy for sensitive individuals. - The apparent white petals of the Flowering Spurge are not petals at all, but modified leaves called bracts designed to lure insects. ## Special abilities - **Milky Chemical Defense:** Produces a toxic, sticky white latex sap containing euphol that deters herbivores and insects from feeding on its foliage. - **Deep Taproot Resilience:** Possesses a robust, deep-reaching taproot system that allows the plant to access deep water reserves during severe droughts. - **Floral Bract Mimicry:** Employs showy white bracts that mimic petals, efficiently attracting pollinators to its microscopic true flowers while saving energy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-90 cm - **Lifespan:** 3-10 years ## Diet & Feeding As a photosynthetic plant, Flowering Spurge produces its own sugars using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide while absorbing minerals from the soil. - **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Water, Carbon Dioxide, Soil Minerals - **Foraging Method:** Photosynthesis ## Ecological connections - **Mutualism:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits the tiny cyathia glands to feed on abundant nectar, aiding in pollination. - **Eaten by:** Spurge Hawkmoth (*Hyles euphorbiae*) — The caterpillars feed on the foliage of the plant, tolerating the toxic sap. - **Competitor:** [Big Bluestem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/big-bluestem) (*Andropogon gerardii*) — Competes directly with Flowering Spurge for light, space, and soil moisture in tallgrass prairies. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Flowering Spurge? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Flowering Spurge? 30-90 cm ### How long does Flowering Spurge live? 3-10 years ### What does Flowering Spurge eat? As a photosynthetic plant, Flowering Spurge produces its own sugars using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide while absorbing minerals from the soil. ### Where is Flowering Spurge usually found? Found in dry prairies, sandy savannas, rocky glades, and along sunny roadsides across central and eastern North America. ### How does Flowering Spurge hunt? Photosynthesis ## Where to spot - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site - [Shaw Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shaw-nature-reserve) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden - [University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/university-of-wisconsin-madison-arboretum) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Bastrop State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bastrop-state-park) — Texas, US · State Park - [Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-earth-rettenmund-prairie-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park [View all places to see Flowering Spurge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/flowering-spurge) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Flowering Spurge: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/flowering-spurge)