Petty Spurge: What Every Gardener Should Know About This Common Visitor
If you’ve spent any time poking around your garden beds, chances are you’ve encountered petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus) without even realizing it. This small, unassuming annual herb has a knack for showing up uninvited in gardens across North America, though it’s actually a European native that’s made itself quite at home on this side of the pond.
What Exactly Is Petty Spurge?
Petty spurge is a small annual forb – that’s garden-speak for a soft-stemmed, non-woody plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. Don’t let its humble appearance fool you; this little plant is quite the traveler. Originally from Europe, the Mediterranean, and parts of Asia, it has successfully established itself throughout North America, from Alaska all the way down to the southern United States.
You might also see it listed in older botanical references under the names Galarhoeus peplus or Tithymalus peplus, but Euphorbia peplus is the name that stuck.
Where You’ll Find It
Petty spurge has truly made itself at home across the continent. It grows in an impressive list of locations including Alberta, Alabama, British Columbia, Alaska, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Arizona, California, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Colorado, Prince Edward Island, Connecticut, Quebec, Delaware, Saskatchewan, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and even extends to Guam and Newfoundland.
What Does It Look Like?
Petty spurge is not what you’d call a showstopper in the looks department. It’s a small, low-growing plant with heart-shaped leaves and tiny greenish-yellow flowers that are easy to miss unless you’re looking closely. The plant typically stays quite compact, making it more of a ground-hugger than a statement piece.
Should You Grow Petty Spurge?
Here’s the thing about petty spurge – most gardeners don’t actually choose to grow it. It tends to choose them instead, popping up in disturbed soil areas, garden beds, and anywhere the ground has been turned over. While it’s not considered invasive or particularly problematic, it’s also not prized for its ornamental value.
The plant does provide some minor benefits to small insects with its tiny flowers, but it’s not a significant pollinator plant. If you’re looking to support local wildlife and create a beautiful garden, you’d be better served by choosing native alternatives.
Growing Conditions
If petty spurge does show up in your garden (and it probably will at some point), you’ll find it’s quite adaptable. It thrives in:
- Full sun to partial shade conditions
- Disturbed or poor soils
- Areas with regular soil turnover
- USDA hardiness zones 3-10
The plant spreads readily by seed and can complete its life cycle quickly, which explains how it’s managed to establish itself so widely.
Native Alternatives to Consider
Instead of petty spurge, consider these native options that will provide much more value to your local ecosystem:
- Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) for shaded areas
- Native violets (Viola species) for ground cover
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) for edible landscaping
- Native sedges (Carex species) for texture and wildlife habitat
These alternatives will not only look more attractive in your garden but also provide better support for local pollinators and wildlife.
The Bottom Line
Petty spurge is one of those plants that exists in the background of our gardening lives – not particularly harmful, but not particularly beneficial either. While there’s no need to panic if you find it growing in your garden, there’s also no compelling reason to actively cultivate it. Your garden space is precious real estate, and there are so many beautiful native plants that would make better use of that space while supporting your local ecosystem.
Think of petty spurge as that neighbor who’s perfectly pleasant but probably won’t become your best friend – sometimes it’s just there, and that’s okay.
