Noxious Weed Alert: Leafy Spurge

Leafy Spurge is a highly toxic weed found in our area beginning in late May. Now is the time of year to keep an eye out for it and address any presence of the plant on lands you own or manage.

What is Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia Escula)?

Leafy Spurge: yellow flowers when in bloom (left); with small heart shaped leaves (right).

Leafy Spurge is an aggressive, deep rooted perineal growing up to 3 ft tall. Leafy Spurge has a milky sap and blooms small yellow flowers with heart shaped leaves underneath in late May. The milky sap is highly toxic to horses and cattle, and can cause blistering on skin. Sheep and goats are less affected. This highly aggressive plant will take over large patches of area and is difficult to get rid of once it starts. The root system of Leafy Spurge can extend 9-21 feet and also has a massive net of shallow lateral roots. This extensive root system allows it to quickly recover from physical damage, such as burning, mowing, or chemical damage. Leafy Spurge is commonly found in road ditches but thrives in nearly any habitat, especially open plains we see through Redwood County.

Managing Leafy Spurge

The Leafy Spurge Flea is the most effective and cost efficient solution to eradicate instances of Leafy Spurge. Although both chemical treatment and mowing are short term fixes, they only suppress a Leafy Spurge patch rather than completely eliminating it. The deep root system and fast reproduction rate of this toxic plant create a need of constant mowing or spraying to eradicate a patch.

Leafy Spurge Flea

Leafy Spurge Flea

Leafy Spurge Fleas are beetles that feed only on Leafy Spurge. They are not a threat to crops or other native plants. Leafy Spurge Fleas are self-sufficient once released and eliminate entire patches of Leafy Spurge is just a few short years. These fleas are able to survive harsh Minnesota winters, eliminating the need to release subsequent insects after the initial introduction to an area.

Reduction in Leafy Spurge after introduction of flea.

Redwood SWCD Assistance

The Redwood Soil & Water Conservation District can provide Leafy Spurge fleas at no cost and we would be happy to hunt some down for you. Please contact us for more information:

Phone: 507-637-2427
Email: redwoodswcd@co.redwood.mn.us

You can also download this information in PDF format here.