Cliff spurge
Euphorbia misera
Last reviewed: September 2026
Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera) is a perennial succulent native to CA. It blooms in February, March, and April. The flowers draw flies and bees.
Toxicity unknown
Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
12"–36" H × 12"–36" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr
Native to
CA
Pollinators
flies, bees
Before you buy
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A gnarled, succulent-stemmed shrub with thick gray branches, small leaves that drop during drought, and tiny greenish-white flowers. Grows on exposed coastal bluffs and rocky slopes with a sculptural, sparse look.
Growing Cliff spurge
Grow Cliff spurge in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 12 to 36 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Small flowers provide nectar for flies and bees during a period when few other coastal bluff plants are blooming.
Common questions
- How much sun does Cliff spurge need?
- Cliff spurge grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Cliff spurge bloom?
- Cliff spurge blooms in February, March, and April.
- Where is Cliff spurge native?
- Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Cliff spurge attract?
- Cliff spurge draws flies and bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Cliff spurge? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.