Purge the Spurge!

17 North Spruce Street,Colorado Springs CO 80905

24 April, 2021

Description

Trade your Myrtle Spurge for FREE ground cover plants. FREE tickets are limited for this outdoor event. Please wear a mask. Colorado State University Extension El Paso County Master Gardeners will give you free groundcover plants in trade for your bagged Myrtle spurge! The more Myrtle spurge you bring, the more plants you get. Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites), also known as donkeytail spurge, is a highly invasive noxious weed and, unfortunately, has been planted in many rock gardens. This plant is rapidly expanding into sensitive ecosystems, displacing native vegetation and reducing forage for wildlife. The same attributes that make it appealing to El Paso County gardeners (drought tolerance, hardiness, and tolerance of poor soils) also make it a successful competitor with native species. The Myrtle spurge is a Colorado A List Species noxious weed, which requires eradication on all lands County, State, Federal, or Private. Be Aware! This plant exudes toxic, milky latex, which can cause severe skin irritations, so take necessary precautions when removing the plant: wear rubber glovescover your arms and legsprotect your eyes, nose and mouthBe sure you are pulling Myrtle spurge and not another type of weed. It's also important to dig out the roots. Place securely in bags. Print one ticket per household to exchange with your bag(s) of Myrtle spurge and receive FREE groundcover plants. Thank You to FOX, the Friends of Extension, creators of the Colorado Springs Garden Tour for supporting this FREE event!