Common Name: flowering spurge
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 0.50 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies
Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer, Drought, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Best grown in evenly moist to dry, lean, well-draining soils in full sun to partial shade. Tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions including clayey, sandy, or poor, rocky soils, drought and heat. May drop leaves as a normal response to prolonged dry periods. Tends to perform poorly in overly rich soils with competition from other, more aggressive plants. Hardy in Zones 4-9. Does not transplant well. Avoid disturbing established clumps. Propagate by seed sown in situ or taking root cuttings.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Euphorbia corollata, commonly called flowering spurge or baby’s breath of the prairie, is a clump-forming to spreading, herbaceous perennial native to much of the eastern and central United States as well as southeastern Canada where it can be found in prairies, fields, rocky woods, glades, barrens, roadsides, and other open, disturbed areas. The upright, unbranched stems emerge in spring from a deep, thickened rootstock. The stems can reach 0.5-3’ tall and spread to fill a 1.5-2’ area. Variably shaped leaves, from oblong to oblanceolate or elliptic, are arranged alternately or in whorls along the stems and can reach 1-2" long and 0.25-0.5” wide. The stems and leaves emit a milky latex when cut or crushed. Minute, true flowers are borne in pseudo-flowers called cyathia, the typical form of inflorescence in the genus Euphorbia. Five white, rounded to fan-shaped petal-like appendages surround clusters of true flowers. Each appendage has a green nectar gland at its base. The 0.25” wide cyathia bloom on well-branched, airy, terminal clusters from summer into early fall depending on the growing conditions. The blooms are attractive to insect pollinators such as butterflies, bees, wasps, and flies. Small, rounded seed capsules mature from green to tan. The seeds are a food source for upland game birds such as turkey and quail.
Genus name probably honors Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauretania.
The specific epithet corollata means “resembling a corolla”, in reference to the appearance of the cyathium of this species.
'Carolina Snow' is a floriferous selection of flowering spurge that features a showy, long-lasting floral display.
Problems
No major pest or disease problems of note. Deer and rabbits tend to avoid this plant. The latex produced by this and other euphorbs can cause skin irritation. Wear gloves when working with this plant.
Uses
Naturalize in rock gardens, prairie gardens, rocky, woodland edges, parking lot islands, medians, curb strips, and other well-draining, exposed sunny sites. Suitable for use in fresh cut arrangements.