Snow On The Mountain

Snow On The Mountain, Euphorbia marginata, began to appear in mid-summer and is said to bloom through late fall.

It is a member of the Spurge family which characteristically has milky white sap in the stems. The sap contains euphorbium, a toxic chemical, which can cause inflammation or irritation to the skin and eyes of some people. Many common ornamentals such as poinsettia are members of the Spurge family.


Euphorbia marginata (Snow On The Mountain) is very similar and often confused with Euphorbia bicolor (Snow On The Prairie). Euphorbia marginata (Snow On The Mountain) has shorter, wider bracts. (Bracts are leaf-like structures; the red "petals" of a poinsettia are actually bracts.)

As the seeds of this plant dry they crack open the seed pods and literally propel themselves many feet away from the plant.