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Native Plant Society of Texas

Wild Poinsettia

Euphorbia cyathophora

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Poinsettia, Fire On The Mountain

Photo Credit: Cressler, Alan, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=64270
Photo Credit: Cressler, Alan, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=64270
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson
Photo Credit: Page, Lee, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=89789
Photo Credit: Page, Lee, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=89789

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Native Habitat: Grassland
Chihuahuan Deserts, Edwards Plateau, Texas Blackland Prairies

Maintenance

Nice ornamental accent plant and filler. Give lots of room to spread. It tends to prefer a rocky/sand component soil, but it can adapt to a more fertile, medium moisture soil. Its natural habitat includes disturbed sites, waste areas, roadsides, creek banks.

Comments

Wild Poinsettia is a short-lived annual. Many of its common names come from the red color of the upper leaves. The leaves vary in shape, different shaped leaves can appear on a single plant. The plant produces a milky latex sap when damaged or broken. The milky sap can irritated the skin and is poisonous if ingested. Terminal Flowers are inconspicuous, yellowish green, cup-shaped. Larval Host: Pygarctia spraguel.

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1 to
3 ft

Spread

1 to
3 ft

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Medium

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Bees

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Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Euphorbia barbellata, Euphorbia graminifolia, Euphorbia havanensis, Euphorbia heterophylla var. barbellata, Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora, Euphorbia heterophylla var. graminifolia, Poinsettia barbellata, Poinsettia cyathophora, Poinsettia cyathophora var. graminifolia, Poinsettia graminifolia, Poinsettia havanensis

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=EUCY. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Euphorbia+cyathophora&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=10054&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=28060#null, 6) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/euphorbia-heterophylla-var-cyathophora/, 7) https://www.prairiemoon.com/euphorbia-cyathophora-fire-on-the-mountain-prairie-moon-nursery.html

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State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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