Wolf's-milk, Leafy Spurge

Euphorbia virgata

Found in fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

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

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At a glance

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Light · Soil · Life cycle · Leaves · Bloom

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

County records are not available.

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

7CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · 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
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: Family not recorded

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

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	Not available
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source

Native alternatives

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