Is spotted spurge a weed?

Yes, it is widely considered a persistent weed in lawns and gardens.

How do I get rid of it?

Hand pulling before it sets seed is effective, but ensure you wear gloves to avoid the sap.

Plant guide

Spotted spurge.

Chamaesyce maculata

Pronounced yoo-FOR-bee-uh mak-yoo-LAY-tuh

Also known as Chamaesyce maculata, Spotted Spurge, large spurge, spotted sandmat

Spotted spurge is a low growing, mat forming annual that often appears as a weed in gardens and pavement cracks. It features small, oval leaves with a distinctive dark purple or reddish spot in the center. This plant thrives in disturbed soil and is quite resilient in hot, dry conditions.

Another photo of Spotted spurge — Photo by Emily Langdon-Lassagne (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 10cm height, 60cm spread
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 11
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

This plant is typically managed as a weed, but if kept, it requires little attention beyond full sun. Watch for rapid spread via seeds, as it can quickly colonize bare soil areas. Ensure you wear gloves when handling to avoid skin irritation from the sap.

Watering: Water only when the soil has dried out completely.
Feeding: Fertilizing is generally not required for this species.
Pruning: Remove seed heads regularly to prevent unwanted spread.
Repotting: Repot only if growing in a container, though it is rarely cultivated.
Soil: Well draining, sandy, or rocky soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Temperature: 5 to 35°C
Humidity: 30 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Annual, typically 1 year
Deer and rabbits: High

Safety

People: The milky latex sap is highly irritating to skin and eyes and toxic if swallowed.
Pets: The milky sap is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested or if it contacts their skin.
Children: Keep this plant away from children as the sap is caustic and the plant is poisonous if eaten.
Contact allergens: The milky sap contains diterpene esters that cause contact dermatitis and blistering.
Airborne allergens: The pollen is not considered a significant airborne allergen.
Edibility: This plant is toxic if ingested and should never be consumed.

How to identify it

Prostrate mat forming growth habit
Opposite oval leaves with dark spots
Milky white sap in stems
Tiny inconspicuous flowers
Small hairy seed capsules

Height: 0.05 to 0.2m
Spread: 0.1 to 0.4m
Leaves: green, bronze, purple, deciduous
Flowers: white, pink, 0.1 to 0.3cm
Fruit: green, brown, Summer to autumn

Problems to watch for

Powdery MildewCommon
AphidsUncommon
Root RotUncommon
RustUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring
Overwintering: The plant dies back completely with the first hard frost and does not require special winter care.
In containers: It is not typically grown in containers as it is considered a weed.

Seed

1. Collect seeds from dry capsules in late summer.
2. Scatter seeds on bare, disturbed soil in early spring.
3. Ensure the area receives full sun for germination.

This plant is generally considered a weed and is not typically included in intentional garden guilds.

Grows well with

Crabgrass · They often grow together in disturbed, sunny patches of soil.

Similar species

Prostrate spurge · It shares a similar low growing habit and milky sap.

Science

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Order: Malpighiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: North America
Conservation: It is a common, widespread weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soils and open areas where it can outcompete other plants for sunlight.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ground cover, weed control research

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 6/9
Salinity: 3/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is spotted spurge a weed?: Yes, it is widely considered a persistent weed in lawns and gardens.
How do I get rid of it?: Hand pulling before it sets seed is effective, but ensure you wear gloves to avoid the sap.

Where the name comes from

The name maculata refers to the spotted appearance of the leaves, while Euphorbia honors Euphorbus, a physician to King Juba II.

Good to know

It is often called spotted spurge because of the dark purple spot on its leaves.
The plant forms a low mat that can suppress other weeds.
It is a prolific seed producer that can quickly colonize bare soil.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.