Practical
Plants

Euphorbia corollata

Wild Spurge

a perennial member of the Euphorbia genus in the family Euphorbiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The sap contains a latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material[3]. Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature[5].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The dried root is an excellent purgative, though it sometimes causes vomiting, it opens the body when other more violent purgatives fail to move it[11][4][6]. The plant has irritating and uncertain qualities and so is seldom used in herbal medicine[11]. A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of diabetes[6]. An infusion of the bruised roots has been taken in the treatment of urinary diseases[9]. The juice of the plant has been rubbed on the skin as a treatment for sores, eruptions etc, especially on children's heads[9]. A decoction of the plant, mixed with other herbs (these are not specified) has been used in the treatment of cancer[9].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Skin

Environment

Range
Central N. America - Ontario to Massachusetts, Minnesota, Florida and Texas
Habitat
Dry soils[8] in fields and along roadsides[6]. Clay soils in Texas[10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a light well-drained moderately rich loam in an open position[3]. Succeeds in dry soils[1]. Hybridizes with other members of this genus[3]. The ripe seed is released explosively from the seed capsules[3]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[7]. This genus has been singled out as a potential source of latex (for making rubber) for the temperate zone, although no individual species has been singled out[2].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820

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  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

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  5. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

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  6. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  8. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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  9. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

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  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

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