IDENTIFICATION OF MINNESOTA INVASIVE

7-7-14 Itasca Co
IDENTIFICATION OF MINNESOTA INVASIVE:
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)
SEARCH LOCATIONS
Roadsides, gravel pits and other areas of disturbance, prairies;
sun to partial shade; damp to dry soils
SEARCH TIME
milky sap
May through August (flowering)
SEARCH IMAGE
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Search image
yellow-green “flowers”
Plant up to 4 feet tall
Yellow-green “flowers”
IDENTIFICATION CHECKLIST
Milky-white sap oozes from injured leaf or stem
Each showy flower structure has two, tiny, cup-like flowers
with two heart-shaped bracts directly below
Narrow leaves are 1-3 inches long and 0.25 inch wide
showy flower structure
Caution: Wear protective clothing—
the milky sap of leafy spurge can cause
skin rash and severe eye irritation or
blindness for humans.
Caution: The milky sap of leafy spurge
is toxic to cattle, horses and some
wildlife.
cup-like
flowers
narrow leaves
heart-shaped bract
LOOK-ALIKES that are up to 4 feet tall with yellow to yellow-green flowers
Garden spurge
Europe—
poisonous
to livestock
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No milky sap
Flowers with
five petals
Butter and
eggs
Goldenrods
Eurasia
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No milky sap
Flowers with
four petals
MN native
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No milky sap
Flowers with
many petals
Eurasia
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Europe—,
poisonous to
livestock
No milky sap 
Flowers like
snapdragon
M.Black
Yellow rocket
St. John’s wort
Leaves 0.1 inch wide
and less than 1 inch
long
© 2014 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
INFORMATION ON MINNESOTA INVASIVE:
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)
MINNESOTA STATUS: Prohibited—control
Efforts must be made to prevent the spread, maturation and dispersal of any propagating
parts of leafy spurge, thereby reducing established populations and preventing reproduction and spread as
required by Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.78. Additionally, propagation, sale, or transportation of leafy
spurge is prohibited except as allowed by Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.82.
IF YOU FIND LEAFY SPURGE
1) Record its location (GPS coordinates, labeled dot on map, mile-marker or other landmark)
2) Record the date
3) Document the plant (electronic images or make pressed samples that include items on the “checklist”)
4) Contact Sara Thompson (sara.thompson@co.itasca.mn.us; 327–7393), Julie Miedtke (miedt001@umn.edu;
327-7365) or Mary Blickenderfer (blick002@umn.edu; 218-244-7996)
METHODS OF REPRODUCTION (herbaceous perennial)
 Seed—each plant can produce more than 250 seeds annually that remain viable for up to 10 years in soil
 New plants will form along underground stems
VECTORS OF SPREAD
 Explosive seed release spreads seed up to 20 feet from plant
 Aggressive underground stems spread up to 35 feet from original plant and form new plants
 Equipment, vehicles, humans, wildlife, water and seed-contaminated soil, gravel and hay transport seeds
STRATEGIES FOR RESTORING NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITY
(See your county agriculture inspector and Web resources for specific details)
1) Ongoing leafy spurge controls—including biocontrols (flea beetle, Aphthona lacertosa, and stem/root boring beetle, Oberea erythrocephala), cutting/mowing and grazing sheep or goats (to eliminate seed production), burning, chemical or combinations of these—are necessary until seedbank is exhausted
2) Replant or reseed with native vegetation. (Note: leafy spurge roots exude chemicals that inhibit germination and growth of other plants)
Caution: Wear protective clothing—the milky sap of leafy spurge can cause a skin rash and
severe eye irritation or blindness for humans
Caution: The milky sap of leafy spurge is toxic to cattle, horses and some wildlife
(Leafy spurge is not toxic to sheep and goats)
RESOURCES
Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health: http://www.invasive.org
MN Dept. of Agriculture: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/badplants/leafyspurge.aspx
MN Dept. of Transportation: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadsides/vegetation/pdf/noxiousweeds.pdf
UW Extension YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqIjjBMK8cY&list=PLF35785BFF9AE7921
US Dept. of Agriculture: www.plants.gov