Leafy Spurge is an aggressive noxious weed that tends to displace all other vegetation in pastures and rangeland. As this plant is poisonous to most livestock with the exception of sheep and goats, livestock will not ingest it unless food is scarce.

• Distinguishable by the white, milky latex in all parts of the plant.
• Leaves are arranged (sometimes very densely) spiraling up the stem, which is hairless and branches out near the top of the plant.
• Tiny flowers are yellow, lack petals and found in groups with many males and one female. The female contains the seeds.
• Plant height ranges from 30 to 90cm.

• pastures
• rangelands
• croplands
• waste areas
• roadsides
• shelterbelts
• other non-cultivated areas

Leafy Spurge is a creeping perennial which begins growth in the early spring. Flowering occurs primarily in April and May but may occur through the summer and fall. Bracts emerge about two weeks before flowers and give the weed the appearance of flowering.

Leafy Spurge reproduces primarily by the intricate rooting system it contains, which enables the plant to withstand a variety of control methods. The roots are most abundant in the upper foot of the soil, but they can extend down into the ground as deep as 15 feet. The roots contain many buds that can produce new shoots if the upper portion is destroyed. Leafy Spurge reproduces by seed as well.

• Each flowering shoot produces an average of 140 seeds
• Seeds are oblong, gray/purple in color, and occur in clusters of three
• When the seeds are mature, the capsules shatter and seeds can shoot up to 15 feet from the plant
• Seeds are often dispersed by birds, wildlife, humans, and in rivers and streams
• Seeds are viable up to eight years in the soil
• Peak seed germination generally occurs in May. Seedlings quickly acquire the ability to reproduce by developing buds on roots within 12 days after emergence
• Seeds float well, making waterways a good source for infestations
• Can reduce crop yield from 10 to 100 per cent

• The best control option for Leafy Spurge is to stop the plant from going to seed.
• Sheep and goats provide an alternative to herbicides by controlling the Leafy Spurge top growth in pasture and rangeland. While grazing alone will not get rid of Leafy Spurge, it will reduce the infestation and slow the spread of the weed, allowing grasses to be grazed by cattle and horses.
• Grazing should begin in the early spring when the plant first emerges.
• On large infestations, pastures should be divided so animals can be regularly rotated and the entire infestation grazed in a timely manner.
• Cultural control of leafy spurge includes properly timed cultivation and/or the planting of competitive grasses.
• Less successful cultural methods include mowing and fire.
• All cultural control methods are more successful when combined with herbicide treatments.
• There are few options for control of Leafy Spurge in a growing crop because the herbicide rates required are greater than rates labeled for use in cropland. A non-chemical control method such as cultivation is desirable to prevent the rapid establishment of Leafy Spurge in cropland, especially in limited-tillage areas.
• Check your Crop Protection Guide for herbicide advice.