Euphorbia

Euphorbia, name for a group of annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or small trees in the spurge family. Some euphorbias are commonly known as spurges. More than 1000 species of euphorbias are found in temperate and tropical regions throughout the world, and about 100 of them are native to North America. Euphorbias are generally succulent plants, often cactus-like in appearance, and they usually have an acrid, milky sap. While the sap of many of these plants is poisonous and can cause skin irritation, the sap of some species has been used medicinally. For example, ipecac is an emetic obtained from wild ipecac (sometimes called American ipecac).

Many euphorbias are grown as ornamentals. Among those cultivated indoors are the poinsettia, native to Mexico, and the crown of thorns (sometimes called the Christ plant), native to Madagascar. Among the perennial euphorbias grown outdoors, often in rock gardens, are the scarlet plume, native to Mexico, and snow-on-the-mountain, found in the United States from Minnesota to Texas. The cypress spurge, a euphorbia growing to 30 cm (1 ft), is a common weed of the eastern United States.

Scientific classification: Euphorbias are members of the family Euphorbiaceae. The wild ipecac is classified as Euphorbia ipecacuanhae; the poinsettia as Euphorbia pulcherrima; the crown of thorns as Euphorbia milii; the scarlet plume as Euphorbia fulgens; the snow-on-the-mountain as Euphorbia marginata; and the cypress spurge as Euphorbia cyparissias.