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Stone, Robert L.
Euphorbia heterophylla L.
Mexican fireplant, Wild Poinsettia
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)
USDA Symbol: EUHE4
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Minute flowers lacking petals within a 5-lobed, gland-rimmed cup, all in a cluster atop each leafy stem just above partly red, white, or yellow leaves; sap milky.
This species, though a weedy annual, recalls its relative, Poinsettia (Poinsettia pulcherrima), which is popular at Christmas and has large, red, pink, yellow, or white leaves just below the flowering cluster. Toothed Spurge (E. dentata), which occurs from Illinois east to Pennsylvania and southward, has hairier stems, opposite leaves, and leafy bracts usually green or white at the base.
Bloom Information
Bloom Time: Aug , SepDistribution
USA: AL , AZ , CA , FL , GA , HI , LA , MS , NM , TXNative Distribution: Southern tier of states in the U.S., from California east to Florida and Georgia.
Native Habitat: Open or wooded, disturbed areas, usually in sandy soil.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), PR(N), VI(N)
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Euphorbia heterophylla in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Euphorbia heterophylla in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Euphorbia heterophylla
Metadata
Record Modified: 2007-01-01Research By: TWC Staff
