Cypress spurge
Euphorbia cyparissias
Cypress spurge is a perennial herbaceous plant characterized by its narrow, needle-like leaves and toxic milky latex. It spreads via underground rhizomes, often forming dense colonies in dry habitats. The inflorescence consists of yellowish-green cyathia that frequently turn reddish as they mature. It is widely recognized for its preference for sunny, nutrient-poor soils.
Details
Habitat function
Provides nectar for bees, flies, and butterflies; serves as a larval host plant.
Nutrient uptake
Low; specialized in nutrient uptake from poor soils.
Food source for
Spurge Hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae), various wild bees, and hoverflies.
Human use
Occasionally used as an ornamental plant in rock gardens; historical use in folk medicine (Caution: toxic).
Ecology
Ecological role
Important food plant for specialized insects, especially as a host plant for the caterpillars of the Spurge Hawk-moth.
Natural predators
Specialized insects (e.g., Spurge Hawk-moth); avoided by grazing animals due to its toxicity.
Competitor species
Weak competitor that is displaced by grasses and nitrogen-loving perennials if fertilization occurs.
Ecosystem service
Soil stabilization on dry slopes and embankments through its extensive rhizome system.
Threats
Eutrophication of nutrient-poor grasslands, abandonment of land use, and subsequent scrub encroachment.
Scientific profile
Profile
Reproduction
Both generative via seeds and effectively vegetative via underground runners (rhizomes), leading to the formation of extensive clones.
Protection & threats
Main threats
Eutrophication through atmospheric nitrogen deposition, abandonment of land use (scrub encroachment via succession), and the conversion of nutrient-poor grasslands into arable land or intensive grassland.