Snow-on-the-mountain

Euphorbia marginata

Found in upland sites (prairies, woodlands) over calcareous substrates; eastwards on roadsides and in disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 1–3 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Dry to average

Euphorbia marginata — whole photograph — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters · Public domain · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Bloom: June to November

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Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 21 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Euphorbia

Automeris ioIo Moth
Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
Lobocleta plemyrariaStraight-Lined Wave
Pygarctia abdominalisYellow-Edged Pygarctia
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

14BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Euphorbia

Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
Anthus spragueiiSprague's Pipit
Calcarius pictusSmith's Longspur
Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
Corvus brachyrhynchosAmerican Crow
Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow

Show all 14

Spizella breweriBrewer's Sparrow
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken
Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Hardiness: Zones 2a–11b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Yellow, green or white

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “June to November” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow, green or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Hardiness · “Zones 2a–11b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
Height · “1–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Life cycle · “Annual” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
Soil · “Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Spread · “1–2 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Snow On The Mountain

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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