Can anyone identify this plant for me ? It germinated in the garden. I think it may be a Euphorbia but I am not sure! Thanks. Picture attached.
It is indeed a euphorbia. It is Euphorbia lathyris. The common names gopher spurge or mole plant presumably refer to the odd smell this species produces. Does anyone know if it actually repels varmints?
gopher plant I tried planting it extensively amongst both vegetable plants and roses in a garden in California that was absolutely infested with gophers. While they didn't actively eat it; it did very little, if anything, to actually repel them or deter them from eating every other living, growing thing. I made the mistake of getting the sap on me once and then wiping sweat from my face. I wound up in the emergency room, so be careful around the stuff if you do plant it.
Hi Please note that all parts of this plant is poisonous if injested. Expecially the seeds NOT A GOOD ONE IF YOUNG CHILDREN ARE AROUND. The milky sap is indeed an irritant to the skin and it is recomended that gloves be used when handeling this plant. I don't Know where the Golpher part comes in but the Mole part (in the common names) refers to a medinical treatment made from the sap for the removal of moles on the human skin. I am not sure if it works but I can say if you fall in patch with nothing but cutoffs and shoes it sure feels like it wants to remove more than moles. regards doug
