Flowering Spurge

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

2

Native Status

❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON

Closest Direction

SE

CEC Eco-Regions

5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands

Rarity Notes

Globally secure (G5) with a national rank of N4 in Canada. In Ontario ranked S4 (Apparently Secure). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. The species is restricted to southern Ontario in Canada, where it occurs in prairie and savanna remnants, habitats that are themselves increasingly rare.

S22 G5, N4, S4 ON; S26 SARA not listed

Rarity Ranks

ON S4 – Apparently Secure

Migration

Stable

Ecological Context

Flowering spurge occupies dry, open habitats including sand prairies, oak savannas, rocky prairies, and old fields. In Ontario it is found primarily in the southern portion of the province on sandy, well-drained soils. Michigan Flora records it in sandy dry plains, savanna, and along railroads, with northernmost occurrences representing spread from the native range. It is a characteristic species of disturbance-adapted grassland and open woodland communities.

S7 sandy dry plains and savanna; S4 rocky prairies, open woodlands, fields; S48 ON specimens in ecoregion 8.1.5

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fortress/Barrier, Nutrient Accumulator

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Nutrient Accumulator: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, pp. 96)]

Notes

Flowering spurge functions as a dynamic accumulator, mining silicon (Si) from deep soil horizons via its 1.5 m taproot and depositing it in surface litter. This nutrient cycling role makes it a valuable guild component in prairie restoration plantings. Its deer resistance and drought tolerance allow it to persist in exposed, nutrient-poor sites where other forbs may struggle.

S72 Table 6-2, Si; S29 dynamic accumulator; S58 1.51 m root depth

Medicinal Properties

ℹ

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

Click here for more info →

Category

Cathartic, Dermatological Aid, Urinary Aid, Emetic, Anthelmintic, Antirheumatic, Gynecological Aid, Analgesic

S28 Cherokee, Meskwaki, Micmac, Ojibwa uses

Notes

Extensively used in Cherokee, Meskwaki, Micmac, and Ojibwa traditional medicine. The dried root served as a powerful purgative (Cherokee, Meskwaki, Ojibwa). Cherokee applied the juice topically for skin eruptions and sores, and used infusions for urinary diseases, postpartum bleeding, and gonorrhea. Meskwaki employed root preparations for rheumatism and to expel pinworms. Micmac used the root as an emetic. Health Canada lists it as a homeopathic substance (root source material).

S28 15 ethnobotanical uses; S36 NHPID homeopathic listing

Edibility & Foraging

ℹ

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

Click here for more info →

❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes

Not edible. The milky latex sap is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally. PFAF rates edibility at 0 out of 5. No food uses are recorded in Moerman's Native American Ethnobotany Database.

S29 edibility 0/5; S28 no food category uses

Toxicity

☠️ High Toxicity

While not listed in Cornell's poisonous plants database, the milky latex contains diterpene esters that are toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation on contact with eyes or open cuts. Large doses can be poisonous, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material. Prolonged contact with the sap is inadvisable due to potential carcinogenic properties. Members of this genus have been known to fatally poison cattle.

S29 toxic latex; S4 diterpene esters, POISONOUS PARTS: All parts

Seed Source

• NANPS
• NANPS
• Ferri Seeds