Creeping Spurge, Donkey Tail, Myrtle Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites)

Creeping Spurge, Donkey Tail, Myrtle Spurge
Euphorbia myrsinites

Spring inflorescence

i live in weed ca. and have this growing in my flower bed, it's taking over. Is there a way to thin it out?

sunshine49, you probably have a different variety of euphorbia as this particular cultivar is not generally known to self seed, it's quite mannerly. There are several that are known to be invasive, I have had to remove them and I still get seedlings popping up everywhere and I continue to pull them as I find them before they get too big and set flower. Best thing is not to let the flower heads mature.
I am currently fighting this one http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/111183/

Actually, this cultivar does set seed quite readily, and I frequently need to pluck up the various seedlings that pop up here and there.

But I have so many other plants that scatter their seeds (larkspur, tansy) and trees that plague me continually with their hellish drop (Russian elm) and relentless suckering (Ailanthus altissima), that this Euphorbia barely moves the needle on the invasive scale.

I do, however, take care to lop off the seed heads after it finishes flowering, and that does cut down on the seedlings.

Lord, this stuff has ruined my life! I'm in Utah, like dicentra63, and myrtle spurge is a MESS in our foothills. It sprays seeds several feet from the plant, and it really makes life hard for neighbor plants. Last year I pulled enough to fill 30 big lawn waste bags, turning my steep backyard into a naked pile of dirt. Finally this spring I see just a few natives starting to reclaim the ground they lost.

Even in less problematic environments, I have heard of very few gardeners who enjoy having a plant that pops up everywhere and secretes a poisonous sap. I had to go home sick from work once because the sap got on my face while I was weeding.

I talked to our department of ag about this, and they gave me some pointers. To control, you can pull them (get at least 4" of root on mature plants) or use herbicide. Round-up worked very well for me. But either way, you have to mind the empty spots for a few years to destroy new sprouts. Because they burst their seeds out each summer, "thinning" will require attention indefinitely. I'd just eradicate it.

E. myrsinites has been declared an official invasive pest in Utah http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyfrates/sets/72157626394748527/

"On August 8, 2007, the Salt Lake County Council officially approved the noxious listing of Garlic mustard, Dalmatian toadflax, and Myrtle spurge and so since then this species cannot be legally sold in Salt Lake County. But there are also serious infestations in Utah, Davis (Farmington area), Summit and southern Weber (mouth of Weber Canyon) Cos. where it is not listed as a noxious weed, and it has been reported from Cache (recently), Uintah and Iron Cos. It is a threat all up and down the Wasatch Front. This species should not be planted anywhere in Utah (and should be designated as a noxious weed at the state level)! It is an "A list" noxious weed in Colorado."

I think I'll dig up my specimen with extreme prejudice. (It was given to me by a friend because she had plenty; fancy that!). I don't live near a wild area, but it's a bit too happy for my taste, and it's not as lovely as something else I might put in its place.