Botanical Name: Euphorbia peplus
How to Grow It
Radium weed (Euphorbia peplus) is a small annual herb, rarely growing more than 30 cm tall, with soft green stems and oval leaves. It pops up readily in gardens, especially in disturbed soil, and is often treated like a weed – but it’s a plant well worth knowing.
Native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, it has spread widely and is now found across temperate and subtropical regions of the world, including much of Australia. It loves full sun to part shade and moist, friable soil, though it will self-seed and survive almost anywhere that isn’t too dry.
Plant it in spring or autumn by simply sprinkling the tiny seeds – they germinate easily and you’ll often find it popping up on its own. It’s a short-lived plant, but it drops seed freely, so once it’s in your garden, it tends to stick around.
Herbal & Nutrient Value
Radium weed is not a “nutrient plant” you eat – in fact, it’s not edible. What makes it valuable is its caustic, milky sap. Traditional folk remedies have used the sap for generations to burn off warts, sunspots, and other skin blemishes. Advocates claim it will kill skin cancers (do your own research).
Modern science has caught up: the plant contains a compound called ingenol mebutate, which has been developed into a prescription cream for treating actinic keratoses (a type of pre-cancerous sun damage). It’s powerful stuff, which means it must be handled carefully – it can burn the skin and irritate the eyes.
Using It in the Kitchen
Important: Radium weed is NOT for the kitchen – it is toxic if eaten. The sap is caustic and can cause serious irritation if it gets in your mouth or eyes. Instead, its “use” is entirely medicinal and external, and should be treated with the same caution as a pharmaceutical product.
Other Uses
Radium weed’s value is entirely medicinal. The sap has been used traditionally to remove warts and skin growths, and it’s now studied and used in modern dermatology for certain skin conditions.
Why it’s a survival plant
From a survival perspective, it’s a plant worth recognising and keeping around in a corner of the garden. It grows easily, self-seeds, and can be a handy emergency remedy plant – but always treat it with respect, and wear gloves when handling it.
