Fauna
Plant

Prairie Tea

Croton monanthogynus

Also known as One-seeded Croton, Single-fruited Croton, Prairie Spurge

Prairie Tea is a hardy summer annual recognizable by its rusty, star-shaped hairs and silvery undersides that sparkle in sunny, dry fields. It produces small, inconspicuous flowers that give way to tiny single-seeded capsules favored by ground-foraging birds. While historically dried for tea, its acrid sap contains irritating compounds typical of the spurge family.

AnnualNativeDrought-Tolerant
Prairie Tea reference1 / 7
(c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Mourning Dove
  • Northern Bobwhite
  • Grasshoppers
ThreatsSevere land development and intensive agricultural tillage
HabitatsDry prairies, glades, pastures, rocky fields, and disturbed open woods
Life span1 year (summer annual)
Classification
  1. OrderMalpighiales
  2. FamilyEuphorbiaceae
  3. GenusCroton
  4. SpeciesCroton monanthogynus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Sap may cause skin irritation; avoid heavy handling and never ingest wild plants.
Why it is dangerous
Acrid diterpenes in the milky sap can irritate skin and cause digestive upset if consumed.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for low-growing, branched stems with gray, stellate-hairy leaf undersides in sunny fields.
What to do
Wear gloves when clearing or handling large stands, and wash skin thoroughly after contact.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Check the leaf undersides with a hand lens to see tiny, dense star-shaped hairs.
  • Wildlife Watching: Scan dry patches in late summer to spot birds foraging for dropped seeds.
  • Habitat Respect: Wear gardening gloves when handling large patches to avoid skin contact with sap.
Related species
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