Description:
Native bushy shrub, common and progressive in alkaline soils on prairies, hillsides, eroded areas and flood plains. Perennial, woody, and much-branched, growing over 7 ft tall.
Deciduous, leaves are about 1 inch long, fleshy and quite thin, pale to medium green, crowded, attaching directly to woody grey branches, they may have a salty crust or slight salt taste.
Male flowers are green cones at the ends of the branches. Female flowers are inconspicuous green-yellow and form below in the leaf axils, resembling a circular ruffle with a raised center (ovary) which generates the seed.
Limbs are thin and branching, grey, thorny and knotty. Dangerous thorns growing longer than leaves will puncture tires.
Roots are able to regenerate the plant if the top is burned, cut away or sprayed.
Greasewood plants contain oxalates with the leaves being most toxic which increases as the season progresses. Sheep often eat enough of the fallen leaves to be poisoned especially if no other forage is available as variety, horses and cows seldom eat it.
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Leafy Spurge Growth Habit: Perennial, erect, up to 3' tall, spreading by seed or creeping roots. Leaves: Alternate, long, narrow, ¼" wide and 2" long, usually drooping. Flowers: Inconspicuous, surrounded by large heart shaped floral leaves which turn yellow-green near maturity.
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