Euphorbia spp.

Native American Names

The Omaha name for spurge is Naze-ni pezhi. There are no other names found in other tribes.

Description Spurge is a creeping, herbaceous perennial weed of foreign origin that reproduces from seed and vegetative root buds. It can reduce rangeland cattle carrying capacity by 50 to 75 percent. About half of this loss is from decreased grass production. Cattle won't graze in dense leafy spurge stands and these areas a 100% loss to producers. It's an erect plant that grows 1-3 feet tall. Leaves are bluish-green with smooth margins, 0.25 inch to 0.5 inch wide and 1 to 4 inches long.The spurges make up Euphorbia, a very diverse genus of plants, belonging to the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Consisting of about 2160 species, spurges are one of the largest genera in the plant kingdom. The genus is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and the Americas, but also in temperate zones worldwide. Succulent species are mostly originated from Africa, the Americas and Madagascar. There exists a wide range of insular species, namely on the Hawaiian Islands where spurges are collectively known as akoko. The common name spurge derives from the Middle English/Old French espurge ("to purge"), due to the use of the plants sap as a purgative.

Location and Habitat The deep rooted perennial plant is adapted to a wide range of soil moisture conditions from moist to dry. The spurge is aggressive, especially in very dry situations where competition from Native species is less intense. Areas most sensitive to leafy spurge infestation include pastures, roadsides, abandoned fields, railroad ballasts, disturbed and undisturbed mesic to dry prairies.

Uses

Spurge is eaten by sheep and goat. Ponca tribe boiled this plant and the decoction drunk by young mothers whose flow of milk was scanty or lacking. Omaha's used it as a remedy in case of dysentery and abdominal bloating in children. The leaves were dried and pulverized and applied after first cross hatching the abdomen with a knife. The Cherokee used the juice on sores and sore nipples, as well as skin eruptions, especially on children's heads. The Navajos believed that the plant would increase the fertility of their livestock. The Algonquin used it to treat sugar diabetes. The Cahuilla made a decoction of the plant for fever, chicken pox, and small pox. 

By Ashlea E. Aldrich

This Page was last update: Friday, December 14, 2007 at 11:02:31 AM
This page was originally posted: 11/21/07; 10:32:57 AM.
Copyright 2008 Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation

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