Rewilding My Lot

Converting a new developer lot into a nature ecosystem — my journey

The Scourge Of The Spotted Spurge

I consider Spotted Spurge to be a weed here. It thrives in heat and grows as a mat that crowds out other plants.

I had noticed that each plant has a long tap root, and the drier the ground, the harder it is to get that root out intact. Consequently, I did less weeding during this summer’s extended drought, which (I now discover) gave these plants plenty of time to seed.

Little did I know that each Spotted Spurge plant can produce thousands of seeds and that they germinate quickly once the soil is disturbed or there is moisture. This is a week after a rainfall.

Lesson learned. I need to pull this plant up before it has a chance to seed. And judging by this post by another, I am not the only gardener who is in a long-term battle with this plant!

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2 responses to “The Scourge Of The Spotted Spurge”

  1. Christine Y Lewis Avatar
    Christine Y Lewis

    yep, constant battle in my front yard full sun, and my challenge in the shady backyard is Japanese stilt grass.

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  2. A Session Of Spurge-Purging – Rewilding My Lot Avatar
    A Session Of Spurge-Purging – Rewilding My Lot

    […] Spurge is a common weed here, and I made the mistake of leaving it in the ground when this summer’s drought made weeding difficu…. I figured I’d just wait until the soil was softer after rain. However, I failed to account […]

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About Me

Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.

I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.

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