Euphorbia oblongata • Class A

Eggleaf Spurge is an upright perennial up to 3 feet tall.

Stems are covered with fine white hairs growing from a woody root crown and branch out at the tip.


Egg shaped, oblong leaves are alternately arranged on the stem, and are smooth, hairless and about 2 1⁄2 inches long, with finely toothed margins.

Yellow flower clusters bloom in spring and summer, consisting of all male flowers and one small female flower. Flower clusters have yellow bracts at the base followed by a whorl of yellow green leaves.

Seedpods 
are waxy in appearance and when mature, ripened pods forcefully eject their seeds. 


It was introduced as a garden ornamental and escaped cultivation. It’s closely related to, and exhibits invasive and competitive strategies similar to, leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) which is listed as a Washington State Class B noxious weed.

Plants can form dense patches that displace desirable vegetation. It can invade a wide range of habitats including damp meadows, streambanks, forest floors, dry hillsides, roadsides and waste areas.

All plants contain a caustic milky sap when cut, which can irritate skin, eyes and digestive tracts of humans and animals.

• The most effective control is prevention. Prevent plants from going to seed. Because of its large taproot, this plant must be dug. Be sure to wear gloves when handling plants, to avoid contact with the caustic sap. Mowing will not control eggleaf spurge, because it will cause new shoots to grow.

• Spot spraying actively growing plants with a glyphosate product up to 3 times over the course of a growing season will provide control.  Glyphosate is non-selective and will injure any plant it comes in contact with.  Herbicide applications of 2, 4 D plus dicamba when applied in spring at flower emergence, and to fall regrowth is another option for control. Both herbicide treatments may require follow up treatments over several years to achieve complete control.

• To minimize any harmful impact on bees and other pollinators, timing is important.  Ideally, plants should be treated before blooming or in the fall.  If treatement after bloomin is necessary, do control work early in the morning, or in the evening when bees are less active.

For more information on this noxious weed  Download our Flyer or visit Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board Here