| Description | Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) is a warm-season native annual known for its white variegated foliage. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (yoo-FOR-bee-uh) |
| Plant Type | Annuals |
| Sunlight | full, mostly sunny |
| Moisture | average, dry |
| Soil & Site | average, medium, dry |
| Flowers | Flowers are small and inconspicuous; they have white cups known as cyathia, each with small, whitish, petal-like bracts. |
| Fruit | It has a three-part, round-to-egg-shaped capsule that is green and matures to dark gray. It contains three ridged seeds. |
| Leaves | They are light green, ovate to oblong, 1-3 inches long, and have a broad variegated margin. |
| Stems | Green stems are pubescent and exude a milky latex sap when cut. |
| Dimensions | 1-3 feet |
| Maintenance | When pruning or pinching, be careful, as the milky sap can cause allergic reactions. |
| Propagation | cuttings |
| Native Site | Dry slopes, disturbed prairies, and roadside in Mexico, Belize, and the USA |
| Misc Facts | The name "Euphorbia" is derived from Euphorbus, a corpulent Greek physician who served King Juba II of Mauretania. The term "Euphorbia" comes from the Greek words "eu," meaning "good," and "phorbe," meaning "pasture" or "fodder," suggesting the plants are "well fed." The genus name likely honors Euphorbus, the physician to the King of Mauretania. The specific epithet refers to the white leaf margins (syn. Euphorbia variegata). |
| Author's Notes | All Euphorbiae contain a white latex sap that can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes |
| Notes & Reference | #109-Annuals and Tender Perennials for North American Gardens (Wayne Winterrowd), #229-Euphorbias A gardeners Guide (Rodger Turner), #230-Euphorbias (Timothy Walker) |
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