Spotted Spurge

What it looks like

Grows as a flat mat close to the ground with reddish, hairy stems. If you break a stem, it oozes a milky sap. Leaves are paired opposite each other and often have a small purple blotch in the middle.

Often mistaken for: Prostrate knotweed (no milky sap, alternate leaves, no purple blotch)

When it shows up in the Triangle

Shows up during the summer months, roughly June through September, and keeps sprouting new plants over an extended stretch of the season.

Where you’ll see it

Common in home lawns, especially thin, dry, or compacted spots, and can also pop up in landscape beds.

What you can do

• Fix compacted soil so grass can grow thicker
• Water deeply and consistently to avoid drought-stressed, thin patches
• Overseed or thicken bare and thin areas so weeds have less room to move in
• Pull small patches by hand before they set seed
• Keep an eye on thin spots all summer since new plants keep sprouting