The flowers are unisexual, small, greenish, lack petals and sepals, and occur at the tips of stems in umbel-like clusters. Both male and female flowers exist on the same plant. This weed is found in rangelands and cultivated fields. Difficult to control because the root fragments can produce new shoots from depths as great as 1 meter. The milky latex within the stems and leaves is harmful to skin causing rashes and it is poisonous to most livestock.
Livestock feeding on leafy spurge can become photosensitive.
Biological control of this weed using moths, larvae, and beetles is currently being researched. Scouting Techniques Take a minimum of 20 weed counts across the field. Effects on Crop Quality Growth and germination of desirable plant species is inhibited by the weeds root extracts. Loss Reduces the yield of economically important crops and the stocking capacity on rangelands.