On Mon, 28 May 2012 22:52:48 +0100, Spider wrote:

On 28/05/2012 22:26, someone wrote:
. uk wrote
in message ...

Hello,

This is a first post! I'm hoping someone with some
expertise would be
able to solve something for me?

I have had a group of strange plants growing at the front
of my house
which looked really unusual so last year I dug one of them
up and re
potted in the garden (as they look like they are taking
over - after one
year roots were about 3cm thick).

Everyone who sees it comments on how unusual it is but
nobody seems to
know WHAT it is - and I suspect its something sinister ;-)

Some more info: They have just began to flower this year
and when leaves
/ branches are cut they secrete a lot of milk! Also when i
cut branches
or leaves off; the surrounding leaves quickly droop for a
couple of days
then recover.

Pictures below...

http://tinyurl.com/bsx32mk
http://tinyurl.com/6qmywfg
http://tinyurl.com/crj8odf
http://tinyurl.com/6rhbmkf
http://tinyurl.com/7qmcg8r

Any help gratefully received!

Euphorbia lathyrus, or caper spurge, or mole plant -
believed to deter moles.

someone




I will only add that the 'sinister' bit is that it's quite toxic. That
milky sap or 'latex' is a severe skin irritant, especially in strong
sunlight. It is wise to wear gloves when handling it.

Which is why it's called the mole plant.
It is said that the sap was used to burn off moles on the skin. It
certainly does not deter moles in the ground in my experience. They
just go round it.

Pam in Bristol