Hophornbeam Copperleaf

Hophornbeam Copperleaf, Pineland Threeseed Mercury

Acalypha ostryifolia Riddell

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

▲ seedling

▲ young mature plant

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ young, mature plant showing characteristic bent-down angle of leaves

▲ ▼ flowering plants

▲ closer-view of flowering stem and flowers

Hophornbeam Copperleaf:

summer annual that grows 10-30" tall with branched, upright stems, making a pyramidal shaped plant
leaves are alternate, oval to heart-shaped with small teeth along the margins
flowers are on upright, 1/2" wide, 1-6" tall, greenish terminal spikes, with fringed bracts between flowers in spikes
stems are covered with fine hairs which may be nettle-like (cause irritation, itching, rashes)
does not have milky sap like some other members of the Spurge (Euphorbiaceae) family
found in cultivated fields, gardens, roadsides, non-crop areas
somewhat similar in appearance to redroot pigweed, but pigweed leaves are not indented at the base where the petiole joins the leaf blade