An introduced garden form of wood spurge, originating from Turkey, and much commoner as a naturalised plant than the native subspecies.

It is a perennial plant with long rhizomes, often forming large ground-covering patches. The flowering stems are biennial, arising from the stem tops in the second year.  The leaves on the first year stems are obovate (wider near the tip) or oval, dark green and leathery, shinier than the native subspecies, and slightly hairy or glabrous. 

It often survives as a garden throw-out, or spreads from gardens.

The native Wood-spurge, Euphorbia amygdaloides subsp. amygdaloides, is similar, but rare in VC55; confined to a few old woodlands.  It has paler, hairy leaves and short rhizomes.

Provide a photograph of the plant in habitat. 

roadsides, woodlands, gardens, parks

Scattered in Britain.  Native to Turkey.

Occasional; widely grown in gardens, parks, churchyards, etc. Often planted or becoming naturalised after being thrown out.