flowering spurge

Flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata) is a common plant found in the eastern United States. It is characterized by showy white structures that resemble petals, which are actually involucral appendages.1

Flowering spurge belongs to the large and diverse genus Euphorbia, which is part of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. This genus includes a wide variety of plants, from common weeds to ornamental species and even cactus-like succulents. Many plants in the Euphorbia genus have a milky sap that can be poisonous. The flowers are unique, with a single female flower surrounded by male flowers, all enclosed in a cup-shaped structure called a cyathium.23