prairie wildflower

Snow-on-the-mountain

Euphorbia marginata

Also known as Snow On The Mountain

Native to the Great Plains, the Rockies, and the Midwest

Montana to New Mexico, east to southern Minnesota, western Iowa, western Missouri and Texas; naturalized in waste areas east to the Atlantic

Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moist Moisture preference
Zones 4–9 Cold to heat range
Bloom Jul–Oct Flowering time
Height up to 5 ft to 1.5 m
Life cycle Annual Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A prairie wildflower for partial shade and evenly moist soil. Its white flowers peak in August. At up to 5 ft, it needs room in meadows and sunny borders. Hardy in USDA zones 4–9.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Snow-on-the-mountain's white flowers bloom July to October, peaking in August. This late-summer display draws butterflies and bees.

Snow-on-the-mountain blooms whiteFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Butterflies Monarch

also Black Swallowtail, Pearl Crescent, Painted Lady +12 more
Gray Hairstreak, Mourning Cloak, Variegated Fritillary, Queen, Dainty Sulphur, Small Copper, Small Heath, Green Hairstreak, Papilio cresphontes, Coenonympha iphis, Clouded Apollo, Marsh Fritillary
Bees Brown-belted Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, American Bumble Bee, Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee +4 more
Punctate Masked Bee, Red-tailed Bumble Bee, Margined Blood Bee, Carrot Mining Bee
Flower flies Eurasian Drone Fly

also Yellow-haired Sun Fly, Marmalade Hover Fly, Trivittate Marsh Fly +1 more
Cheilosia latifrons
Also visited by
- Wasps:
  
  Fraternal Potter Wasp, Four-toothed Mason Wasp +2 more
  Polistes nimpha, Yellow-legged Hornet

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Great Plains, the Rockies, and the MidwestUnited States (13): CO, IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX, WY. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Montana to New Mexico, east to southern Minnesota, western Iowa, western Missouri and Texas; naturalized in waste areas east to the AtlanticThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 4–9 · Canadian 4–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Various soils. Clay, Limestone/chalky, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, SandyThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: Mildly acid to mildly alkalineThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.

Growth & form

Height: up to 5 ft (to 1.5 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~1 ft (0.3 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: AnnualWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Jul–OctWhen it flowers.
Flower color: WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Aug–NovThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.