WEED ID · SUMMER ANNUAL BROADLEAF

Spotted spurge

Also called Prostrate spurge

A flat, mat-forming summer weed with milky sap. It grows in hot, dry, thin spots where the lawn is struggling.

When you’ll see it: Late spring through fall

Spotted spurge forming a flat mat of small oval leaves on thin, branching reddish stems, with tiny flower clusters at the nodes — Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0

How to spot it

Flat mat that grows out in a circle from one center
Small oval leaves in pairs, often with a reddish spot
Thin, reddish stems
Milky white sap when you break a stem
Often in thin turf, cracks, and compacted soil

Why it shows up

Spotted spurge sprouts in warm weather. It does best in thin, hot, or compacted spots where the lawn is weak. One plant makes a lot of seed, so it spreads fast.

How we treat it

Spurge is a summer annual, so we use a pre-emergent timed to the season to cut down on new seedlings. For plants already up, we spot treat with a product labeled for your grass type. We also fertilize to thicken the turf, which leaves less open soil for spurge.

What you can do

Pull small plants early, before they make seed. Wear gloves, since the sap can irritate skin.
Water deep and less often. Fix compacted or bare spots.
Act in late spring and early summer, when plants are small.

WANT IT HANDLED?

Let a licensed applicator take it from here.

Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.

Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722

Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138