Euphorbia amygdaloides
Euphorbiaceae
March to May
Mainly in the South
See the BSBI distribution map for Wood Spurge
It is a native plant found in woodland, hedges and
rocky places.
It is the most common spring-flowering spurge in woods
in the South.
It is also planted in gardens from where it escapes and
is easily naturalised. It can become a persistent weed.
Wood Spurge is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing
up to 90cm.
Yellow-green flowerheads up to 6cm acrossrise from
the previous year's growth of dark green leaves on
tufted stems.
Each cyathium is up to 2cm across made up of 2
petaloid sepals and 4 or more male flowers at
the base of the larger female flower.
There are several lunate glands.
Male flowers are difficult to see. The picture shown
here is a close-up of a stamen with 2 arms with yellow
stamens.
Female flowers have 3 bifid, curving linear styles and
extend into a spherical fruit, a smooth capsule.
Leaves are dark green and narrow and in a whorl up
the stem.
The stem is reddish and produces a sticky white sap
when broken.
Wood Spurge spreads by seed and by new plants
arising from underground, woody rhizomes.
Previous page: Wood Anemone
Next page: Yellow Corydalis
Wood Spurge West Dorset
Flower cluster
Cyahium with petaloid sepals, glands,
male flowers at base of female flower,
2 new cyathia
Close-up of small stamen with anthers
Cyathium showing 3 bifid styles,
glands and remains of male flowers
Lunate glands
Developing capsules
Lanceolate leaves and a red-and
green stem
Line of plants arising from a rhizome
New plant from woody rhizome
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