Euphorbia helioscopia

Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Euphorbia helioscopia

Euphorbia helioscopia, commonly known as sun spurge or madwoman's milk, is an annual herbaceous plant native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and eastern Asia. It grows in arable land and disturbed ground, reaching heights of 10–50 cm. The plant has a single erect stem that branches toward the top, with oval leaves broadest near the tip and small yellow-green flowers. Flowering occurs from mid-spring to late summer.

Details

Order:

Malpighiales

Family:

Euphorbiaceae

Genus:

Euphorbia

Chemistry:

The plant contains toxic diterpenes, diterpenoids, and phorbol esters, which are major skin irritants. It also contains tannins like helioscopinin-A, which has anti-allergic and anti-asthmatic properties. The plant is poisonous when eaten raw, potentially causing nausea, allergic reactions, and skin irritation.

Uses:

Euphorbia helioscopia is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been found to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma in mice. Active ingredients from the plant are used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Flowering time:

Mid-spring to late summer

Sowing time:

Plant height:

10–50 cm

Flower color:

Yellow-green

Suitable habitat:

Arable land and disturbed ground

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

Tenders

Expert guidance for current/future CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) subsidy applications