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Sturla, Gene

Euphorbia heterophylla

Euphorbia heterophylla L.

Mexican Fireplant, Wild Poinsettia

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Synonym(s): Euphorbia geniculata, Euphorbia prunifolia, Poinsettia geniculata, Poinsettia heterophylla

USDA Symbol: EUHE4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (I), PR (N), VI (N)

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, the Christmas Poinsettia (E. pulcherrima), which ranges from central Mexico south to Panama 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.

From the Image Gallery

49 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AZ , CA , FL , GA , HI , LA , MS , NM , TX
Native 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.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC		UPL	FACU	FACU	FACU	FACU			UPL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2025-02-12
Research By: TWC Staff

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