Myrtle spurge Euphorbia myrsinites

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as donkey tail spurge, is a perennial plant with a very distinctive and ornamental appearance. This succulent features trailing stems that are densely packed with spirally arranged leaves. The leaves are blue-green, fleshy, and have a unique, slightly curved shape that resembles a tail. As the stems grow, they tend to creep along the ground, creating a mat-like effect which makes the plant an excellent ground cover. The foliage of donkey tail spurge is often highlighted with hints of silver or gray, adding to its visual interest. In the warmer months, the plant produces small, inconspicuous yellow flowers that are surrounded by showy, chartreuse-yellow bracts. These bracts give the appearance of petals and add a bright splash of color, attracting the attention of onlookers. As a succulent, donkey tail spurge has adapted to store water within its leaves and stems, which contributes to its plump, robust look. Despite its delicate and attractive features, it’s important to note that this plant's sap is toxic and can cause skin irritation, so care must be taken when handling it. Donkey tail spurge is favored in gardens for its unique texture, colorful foliage, and low-maintenance requirements, making it a popular choice for rock gardens, xeriscaping, and as a companion plant among other drought-tolerant species.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Euphorbiaceae
- Synonyms
  Donkey Tail Spurge, Myrtle Euphorbia, Creeping Spurge, Myrtle Spurge, Blue Spurge
- Common names
  Tithymalus myrsinites, Euphorbia myrsinoides, Euphorbia myrsinites subsp. myrsinites.
Toxicity
- To humans
  The plant known as Donkey Tail is poisonous to humans if ingested or if its sap comes into contact with skin and mucous membranes. The sap contains a variety of toxic compounds including diterpene esters. If someone were to ingest parts of this plant, they could experience symptoms such as burning and swelling of the mouth, throat, and lips, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting. Contact with the skin might cause redness, swelling, and blisters. If the sap gets into the eyes, there is a risk of temporary blindness and severe irritation. In severe cases, systemic reactions could occur such as nausea, diarrhea, and possibly even central nervous system effects, though this is more rare.
- To pets
  Donkey Tail is also toxic to pets, and much like in humans, its sap is the primary irritant. If a pet ingests this plant, they may experience similar symptoms to humans, including irritation and burning of the mouth and throat, drooling, vomiting, and in severe cases, diarrhea. If the sap contacts their skin or eyes, it may cause inflammation, redness, and pain. As pets are likely to clean themselves with their mouths following contact, oral irritation is a common concern. Pet owners should keep this plant out of reach from their pets and seek veterinary care immediately if they suspect their pet has ingested or been exposed to the sap of the Donkey Tail.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Evergreen
- Color of leaves
  Blue-green
- Flower color
  Yellow
- Height
  6 inches (15 cm)
- Spread
  18 inches (45 cm)
- Plant type
  Succulent
- Hardiness zones
  5
- Native area
  Southeastern Europe, Turkey

Benefits

General Benefits
- Drought Resistance: Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as Donkey Tail Spurge, is highly drought-tolerant, making it an ideal plant for xeriscaping and low-water gardens.
- Easy Maintenance: This variety of spurge is low-maintenance, requiring minimal care and not needing frequent watering or fertilizing once established.
- Erosion Control: The plant's ability to spread and form mats makes it effective at stabilizing soil and preventing erosion on slopes or banks.
- Attracts Pollinators: Donkey Tail Spurge's flowers can attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, aiding in the pollination of the garden.
- Architectural Interest: With its unique trailing stems and spiral, blue-green leaves, it adds architectural and textural interest to rock gardens, borders, and containers.
- Deer Resistant: Euphorbia myrsinites is not a preferred plant for deer, making it a good choice for gardens in areas with deer populations.
- Seasonal Interest: The plant offers year-round interest but is particularly attractive in the spring when it blooms with bright yellow flowers.
- Ground Cover: Due to its spreading growth habit, it can be used to cover large areas, reducing the need for mulch and suppressing weed growth.
Medical Properties
- This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as donkey tail, can be used in xeriscaping, a landscaping technique that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation.
- It can serve as a protective ground cover that helps to prevent soil erosion on slopes and embankments due to its mat-forming growth habit.
- The donkey tail's unique appearance and structure can be a source of inspiration for artists and photographers looking for natural geometric patterns.
- It is sometimes used in living roofs or green roofs, mixed with other succulents to create a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance roof garden.
- Because of its ability to thrive in poor soil, it is useful for rehabilitating degraded lands where many other plants struggle to grow.
- Their intriguing shape and coloration make them popular in floral arrangements, especially in modern or minimalist designs.
- In educational settings, they serve as a practical example for teaching about adapted plant mechanisms for dry climates, such as the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis.
- This plant is also employed in barrier plantings due to its toxic sap, which can deter animals from browsing garden beds or other areas.
- During the Christmas season, donkey tail's vibrant green coloration and ornamental look make it a natural choice for festive garden displays or as a live alternative to traditional holiday decorations.
- Gardeners sometimes use this plant as a natural weed suppressant, as its dense coverage can help to block sunlight from reaching emerging weed seedlings.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
Donkey Tail is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
Donkey Tail is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Adaptability: Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as Donkey Tail Spurge, exhibits great adaptability to various environments, resembling the human quality to adjust and thrive under different circumstances.
- Protection: This plant's sap is toxic and can cause irritation upon contact, symbolizing the concept of protection and the ability to ward off threats.
- Perseverance: Donkey Tail Spurge has the ability to survive in harsh conditions with minimal care, representing perseverance and persistence.
- Resilience: With its ability to bounce back after disturbances such as drought or poor soil, Donkey Tail Spurge exemplifies resilience and the will to overcome adversity.

💧

Every two weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

40%

Humidity

🪴

Every year

Repotting

🌱️

Spring to Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Donkey Tail Spurge requires minimal watering as it is drought-tolerant. During the growing season in spring and summer, water the plant thoroughly, ensuring the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. Typically, this may mean watering once every two weeks with about 1 gallon for outdoor plants or 8-16 ounces for indoor potted plants, depending on the size and environmental conditions. In fall and winter, reduce the frequency to once per month as the plant goes into dormancy. Over-watering can lead to root rot, so be cautious not to let it sit in wet soil for extended periods.
Light
Donkey Tail Spurge thrives best in full sun to partial shade conditions. It prefers a spot where it can receive direct sunlight for at least six hours a day. However, in extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can prevent scorching. Indoors, place it close to a south or west-facing window to ensure it gets ample light.
Temperature
Donkey Tail Spurge is hardy and can withstand a wide range of temperatures, but it does best in areas where the temperature stays between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant can survive minimum temperatures down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit but should be protected from frost. Ideal growing conditions include warm days and cooler nights.
Pruning
Pruning Donkey Tail Spurge can be carried out to remove any dead or yellowing leaves and to maintain its shape. Pruning is best done in the late winter or early spring, before new growth begins. This plant doesn't require frequent pruning; doing so annually or as needed to remove occasional wayward or unhealthy growth is sufficient. Always wear gloves when handling this plant, as the sap can irritate skin.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The Donkey Tail Spurge thrives in a well-draining soil mix with a slightly alkaline pH of around 7.5. A mixture of 50% coarse sand or perlite with 50% all-purpose potting soil is recommended to ensure good drainage and prevent root rot.
Repotting
Donkey Tail Spurge should be repotted every two to three years or when it outgrows its container to refresh the soil and provide room for growth.
Humidity & Misting
Donkey Tail Spurge prefers low to average humidity levels and does not require any special humidity adjustments.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Use well-draining soil, southern exposure, water sparingly.
- Outdoor
  Plant in full sun, well-drained gravelly soil, minimal water.
- Hardiness zone
  5-9 USDA.
Life cycle
Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as myrtle spurge or donkey tail, begins its life cycle as a seed that germinates in late winter to early spring when soil temperatures are cool and moisture is adequate. The seedling emerges and develops a deep taproot with fleshy, trailing stems that bear spirally arranged, blue-green leaves. Myrtle spurge grows quickly in the spring and summer, developing clusters of chartreuse-yellow bracts that surround tiny flowers, making it attractive in gardens. After flowering, which typically occurs from early to mid-spring, the plant sets seed, which is dispersed by both wind and gravity, usually in late spring or early summer. Myrtle spurge is a perennial and will go dormant in the fall, with above-ground growth dying back with the onset of colder temperatures, though it may remain evergreen in milder climates. Each year, the plant re-emerges from the same root system, continuing its life cycle with new growth in the following spring.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring to Summer
- The most popular method of propagation for Euphorbia myrsinites, commonly known as Donkey Tail Spurge, is through the use of cuttings. This is typically done in the spring or early summer when the plant's growth is most vigorous. To propagate, one would select a healthy, non-flowering stem and cut it off cleanly with a sharp knife or pair of scissors, making the cutting about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) long. The cut end should be allowed to dry and callous for a day or two to prevent rotting. The cutting can then be inserted into a well-draining soil mix, with the cut end buried just enough to hold the cutting upright. It is essential to keep the soil moist but not soggy until the cutting has rooted, which can take a few weeks. After rooting, the new Donkey Tail Spurge plant can be gradually acclimatized to typical growing conditions.