Euphorbia peplus
Milkweed
Euphorbia peplus (petty spurge, radium weed, cancer weed, or milkweed) is a species of Euphorbia, native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, where it typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens, and other disturbed land.It is an annual plant growing to between 5–30 cm tall (most plants growing as weeds of cultivation tend towards the smaller end), with smooth hairless stems. The leaves are oval-acute, 1–3 cm long, with a smooth margin. It has green flowers in three-rayed umbels. The glands, typical of the Euphorbiaceae, are kidney-shaped with long thin horns.
Contributed by @annieflorence
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Full sun to partial shade
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Very little water
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Moist and free draining
Common name
Milkweed
Latin name
Euphorbia peplus
type
Annual
family
Euphorbiaceae
ph
5.0 - 7.5 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to partial shade
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Frost
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Soil
Moist and free draining
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Water
Very little water
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
0.25 M
0.30 M
Euphorbia peplus
Euphorbia peplus (petty spurge, radium weed, cancer weed, or milkweed) is a species of Euphorbia, native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, where it typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens, and other disturbed land.It is an annual plant growing to between 5–30 cm tall (most plants growing as weeds of cultivation tend towards the smaller end), with smooth hairless stems. The leaves are oval-acute, 1–3 cm long, with a smooth margin. It has green flowers in three-rayed umbels. The glands, typical of the Euphorbiaceae, are kidney-shaped with long thin horns.
Planting young plants
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
As a general rule, Spurge requires well-drained soil in full sun. They will tolerate shadier conditions, but none of the family is fussy about soil condition. They even thrive in very poor soils and can tolerate periods of drought.
Propagation
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
Spurge grows quite well from seeds sown indoors in pots. You can propagate Euphorbia more quickly and easily by gathering up the “volunteers” around an established plant. You may also root stem cuttings in a soilless medium, such as peat. Keep them lightly misted and enclose the pot in a bag to keep moisture in. Let the pot breathe once a day for an hour, so the soil does not mold. Once the cutting has rooted, you can pot it in regular soil or plant outdoors in moderate climates. One of the more important growing tips for Euphorbia is to let the stem cutting dry for a few days before planting. This allows the sap to form a callus on the cut end and prevents rotting.
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