Donkey Tail (Euphorbia myrsinites) in the Euphorbias Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences:	Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Plant Height:	6 to 12 inches
Plant Spread:	6 to 12 inches
Leaves:	Glaucous Unusual foliage color Evergreen
Flowers:	Showy Other: In the genus Euphorbia, the flowers are reduced in size and aggregated into a cluster of flowers called a cyathium (plural cyathia). This feature is present in every species of the genus Euphorbia but nowhere else in the plant kingdom.
Flower Color:	Yellow
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late winter or early spring Spring
Underground structures:	Taproot
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic Alpine Gardening
Uses:	Erosion control Groundcover Will Naturalize
Dynamic Accumulator:	B (Boron)
Wildlife Attractant:	Birds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Tolerates dry shade Drought tolerant
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous Roots are poisonous Fruit is poisonous Other: All members of the genus Euphorbia produce a milky sap called latex that is toxic and can range from a mild irritant to very poisonous.
Propagation: Seeds:	Other info: Is considered to be an invasive plant in certain jurisdictions. Vigorous self-seeder.
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Containers:	Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil
Awards and Recognitions:	RHS AGM

Common names

Donkey Tail
Myrtle Spurge
Creeping Spurge
Spurge
Euphorbia

Botanical names

Accepted: Euphorbia myrsinites
Synonym: Tithymalus myrsinites

Photo Gallery

Location: RHS Hyde Hall, Essex, UK.
Date: 2022-08-09

Uploaded by RachaelHunter

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-02-10

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2018-02-04

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Aberdeen, NC (my garden 2022)
Donkey tail #181 nn; LHB p. 618, 106-1-18; MBG, "Genus name proba

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Location: Paris, France
Date: 16/03/16
Euphorbia myrsinites 'Washfield'

Uploaded by AndreA33

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-02-28

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by Versicolor

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-02-25
A very interesting plant that never fails to attract the attentio

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Location: Green Spring Gardens (Outdoors, Northern Virginia)
Date: Late winter (almost 2021)

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-02-14

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: RHS Hyde Hall, Essex.UK.
Date: 2022-07-25

Uploaded by RachaelHunter

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: City Creek Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2023-05-28

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-04-22

Uploaded by Anne

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: City Creek Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2023-05-28
This species' allelopathic properties are visible as the area aro

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Uploaded by Versicolor

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: City Creek Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-04-09
A severe infestation.

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-04-12

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-06-18

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-05-13

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-04-10
As the capsules mature they turn upright and dry to a point where

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2021-05-10

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Lexington, VA
Date: April, 2007
Early spring blooms

Uploaded by rcn48

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-01-28

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2016-05-19

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-10

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2015-11-09

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: Early Summer

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, Virginia, US
Date: 2014-09-04
Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites). Called Blue spurge and Broa

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2016-05-12

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Botanischer Garten Berlin
Date: 2023-05-11

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2020-06-07

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Garden next to Smithsonian, DC, Virginia | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: City Creek Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-04-09
Infestation.

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Paul2032

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by Agoo

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-02-25

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire
Date: 2017-03-25

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Arboretum de Dreijen (Netherlands)
Date: 2017-02-27

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Murray, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-04-11

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Washington 8b
Date: 2018-03-31

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-04-18

Uploaded by Anne

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: Summer

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Anne

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 4-20-2014

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by Joy

Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Dearborn Heights, MI
Date: 2010-04-15
My yard, zone 6

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Dearborn Heights, MI
Date: 2010-04-22
My yard, zone 6

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Dearborn Heights, MI
Date: 2009-05-02
My yard, zone 6

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: My garden, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; zone 3.
Date: 2010-05-30

Uploaded by growitall

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by Patty

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-05-06

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2013-06-05

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2020-08-22

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-06-24

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2012-05-29

Uploaded by Anne

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Breezy Knees garden, York, UK
Date: 2020-06-20

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by DaylilySLP (Dearborn Hts, MI - Zone 6b) on Apr 30, 2019 5:22 PM concerning plant:

Had this plant, it was Beautiful. I was aware the sap could cause irritation.
BUT...yikes! I got some of the milky sap on my glove (which in turn got on me) while thinning it out and I'm not kidding, the reaction was worse than Poison Ivy.
It is gone now. Took a year or 2 to completely eradicate the monster!
I wouldn't advise having this around if you have kids, if they get the sap on their hands, rub their eyes or get it in their mouth, plan on a trip to the ER.

1 reply
Posted by growitall (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on Dec 2, 2012 1:57 PM concerning plant:

Seeds are ejected explosively and so can come up some distance from parent plant. Hardy in Calgary, AB (zone 3); depending on position, may be root hardy to completely hardy and evergreen; wintered-over stems die back after flowering and are replaced by new growth.
Has naturalized and is an invasive weed in many states and one province.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
WebTucker	On February 28, 2023	Bloomed

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Euphorbia myrsinites by valleylynn	Feb 12, 2019 1:05 AM	2

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Euphorbias Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Euphorbias (Euphorbia)

« The Euphorbias Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Euphorbias Donkey Tail (Euphorbia myrsinites)

Euphorbias

Donkey Tail (Euphorbia myrsinites)