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Prostrate spurge is a summer annual broadleaf weed of lawns and turfgrass sites; it is mainly found in poor, drought-stressed areas. It germinates and grows well during hot, dry weather on thin soils and is often found on closely mowed sites. It reproduces by seed, which are abundantly produced throughout the summer. Germination occurs when soil temperatures warm to 60° to 65°F and can continue as soil temperatures climb to more than 90°F. Prostrate spurge develops a central taproot from which prostrate stems form a flat, extensively branched mat up to 2 feet in diameter. Leaves are opposite, ovate to oblong, slightly serrated, with a tinge of red or purple in the center. A milky sap drips from cut leaves, stems or roots. Spurge begins to germinate in late spring and continues to emerge throughout the summer.