Spotted spurge

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Euphorbia maculata

Native Colorado plant · not on state Lists A/B/C. C-floristic-2020 CO-rules-2025

Milky sap can injure skin and eyes; keep pets from chewing. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: CNHP treats Chamaesyce maculata as native, while documenting disagreement among earlier floras. NC State places it in Euphorbia. The common name prostrate spurge also applies to Euphorbia prostrata.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.

Spotted spurge: low radiating reddish stems and small opposite leaves form a mat on stony ground. — **habit** — Low radiating reddish stems and small opposite leaves form a mat on stony ground.
Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Chamaesyce maculata is a synonym used for this taxon. Other small prostrate spurges can look similar; dark leaf spots alone are not diagnostic, and capsule hairs and seed characters may be needed for an unknown plant.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

Spotted spurge: opposite oval leaves with dark central marks on reddish stems, photographed with a 10 mm scale. — **leaf-stem** — Opposite oval leaves with dark central marks on reddish stems, photographed with a 10 mm scale.
Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Chamaesyce maculata is a synonym used for this taxon. Other small prostrate spurges can look similar; dark leaf spots alone are not diagnostic, and capsule hairs and seed characters may be needed for an unknown plant.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

Spotted spurge: opened green capsules and separate small reddish-brown seeds photographed with a 3 mm scale. — **capsules-seeds** — Opened green capsules and separate small reddish-brown seeds photographed with a 3 mm scale.
Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Chamaesyce maculata is a synonym used for this taxon. Other small prostrate spurges can look similar; dark leaf spots alone are not diagnostic, and capsule hairs and seed characters may be needed for an unknown plant.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.

Identification

A low annual mat with opposite, often purple-spotted leaves and hairy stems. Very small plants can already flower and set seed. Injured stems release white latex; do not break plants with bare hands to test this. N-euphorbia-maculata

People

Latex can cause dermatitis and eye injury; ingestion can irritate or blister the mouth. Wear gloves and avoid sap contact, especially with eyes. N-euphorbia-maculata

Dogs & cats

NC State identifies this species as a pet hazard. Keep animals from chewing or contacting freshly damaged plants; a safe exposure amount is not established. N-euphorbia-maculata

Other animals

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for livestock. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Plants & habitat

It rapidly reseeds disturbed beds, cracks and thin lawns. Native status does not prevent it becoming troublesome in a garden. N-euphorbia-maculata

Management & timing

Remove plants early with gloves. Low growth escapes mowing, and even small seedlings may produce seed. N-euphorbia-maculata

Before taking action

Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. S27

References

C-floristic-2020 — Colorado Floristic Quality Assessment: 2020 Update, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:27:33+00:00. Locator: Appendix B, Colorado species list: scientific name and native/non-native fields.
CO-rules-2025 — Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2, Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
N-euphorbia-maculata — Euphorbia maculata, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:23:11+00:00. Locator: Description, identification attributes and plant problems; toxicity section where present.
S27 — 2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds, PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:46:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.