One-Seeded Croton, Prairie Tea

Croton monanthogynus Michx.

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

▲ seedling

▲ young plant

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ closer photo of flowers and single-seed in fruit

One-Seeded Croton, Prairie Tea: 

·        warm-season, annual plant, with low-growing, spreading, much-branched, “miniature tree-like” growth habit

·        grows 6-15” tall and often 2-3 times as wide

·        each flower produces one, instead of 3 seeds (common to most spurges, crotons), hence the name

·        found in dry soils, sandy or rocky soils, calcareous soils, over-grazed areas

·        toxicity unknown—some settlers made tea from it (prairie tea)

• Woolly Croton has 3 seeds per fruit and often grows much larger and may have more densely hairy to almost white-hairy leaves