# serrated spurge (*Euphorbia serrata*)

Serrated spurge is a small plant with unique, jagged leaves. It grows in sunny places and can have bright yellow flowers that attract tiny insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![serrated spurge](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/EUPHORBIA_SERRATA_-_APIS_-_IB-157_%28Lleteresa_serrada%29.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EUPHORBIA_SERRATA_-_APIS_-_IB-157_%28Lleteresa_serrada%29.JPG)

## Appearance

The serrated spurge has slender, often reddish stems with narrow, vibrant green leaves that feature tiny, saw-toothed edges. Its inconspicuous, yellowish-green flowers are clustered in small groups, often surrounded by leaf-like bracts.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Euphorbiaceae
- **Genus:** Euphorbia

## Interesting facts

- Break its stem, and a white, milky sap like glue will ooze out!
- Its name comes from its leaves, which have tiny, saw-like edges!
- This plant is often found growing wild along roadsides and in disturbed fields!
- Though small, it's a very resilient plant that can spread quickly!

## Special abilities

- **Sap Shield:** Serrated spurge has a milky, white sap that oozes when damaged, deterring hungry animals from eating it.
- **Seed Shooter:** Serrated spurge can launch its tiny seeds explosively away from the parent plant, helping them spread far.
- **Tough Survivor:** Serrated spurge has adaptations to thrive in poor, disturbed soils, allowing it to grow where others struggle.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-60 cm
- **Spread:** 15-45 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** spurge hawkmoth (*Hyles euphorbiae*) — Larvae feed specifically on spurge leaves.
- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits the small flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eats:** tarnished plant bug (*Lygus lineolaris*) — Feeds on plant sap, causing damage to foliage.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Be careful not to touch the sap, as it can irritate your skin.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify serrated 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 tall is serrated spurge?

10-60 cm

### How wide does serrated spurge spread?

15-45 cm

### How big are the flowers on serrated spurge?

0.3-0.8 cm

### When does serrated spurge bloom?

Summer

### Is serrated spurge edible?

No

### Is serrated spurge toxic?

Mild

### What is serrated spurge's lifecycle?

Annual

## 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: [Serrated Spurge: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/serrated-spurge)