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Native Plant Database

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Euphorbia cyathophora (Wild poinsettia)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Euphorbia cyathophora Murr.

Wild Poinsettia, Poinsettia, Fire on the Mountain

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Synonyms: Euphorbia barbellata, Euphorbia graminifolia, Euphorbia havanensis, Euphorbia heterophylla var. barbellata, Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora, Euphorbia heterophylla

USDA Symbol: eucy

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The dwarf poinsettia has green stems and alternate lobed leaves, the uppermost with irregular red blotches near the base. The terminal flowers are yellowish with 1-2 small glands or nectaries.

Fire-on-the-mountain is a member of the spurge family (family Euphorbiaceae). Spurges are commonly herbs, with milky sap; in the tropics also includes shrubs or trees. There are about 290 genera and 7,500 species, mostly of warm or hot regions. Among the valuable products of the family are rubber, castor and tung oils, and tapioca. Most members of the family are poisonous, and their milky sap will irritate the membranes of the eyes and mouth.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Shape: Oblanceolate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Texture: Smooth
Leaf: The upper or bracteal leaves usually red toward the base.
Flower: Flowers 3-5 mm
Fruit: 4.5-5 mm
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , FL , GA , HI , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NM , OH , OK , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , WI
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), PR(N), VI(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Accent, Garden. A good filler plant but can be invasive.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes

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:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0336 Collected May 24, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 765 - McMillen's Texas Gardening: Wildflowers (1998) Howard, D.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

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 page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Euphorbia cyathophora in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Euphorbia cyathophora in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Euphorbia cyathophora

Metadata

Record Modified: 2011-08-05
Research By: TWC Staff, TMH

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