Myrtle Spurge Treatment

In late March 2024, Salt Lake County residents can expect to see contractors treating the invasive noxious weed myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) with blue-tinted chemical applications at the mouth of Parley’s Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, and adjacent areas.  Treatments will take place primarily in March, April, and May of 2024. 

Contractors will use an herbicide tank mix of Roundup (glyphosate) and Telar (chlosulfuron) along with a surfactant and a purple or blue dye. Please do not touch or allow children or pets to come into contact with the plants once they have been treated. The blue dye on treated plants will dissipate in a couple weeks.

Recreationists and dog walkers, in particular, should avoid areas while treatments are taking place; please visit some of the county's other parks and open space properties during that time.

Treatments will occur on public lands (county, city, state, and U.S. Forest Service) in the following general areas. Please see the linked maps for more detailed information on treatment areas.

• Parley’s Pointe
• Grandeur Peak Open Space
  • West area
  • West middle area
  • East middle area
  • East area
• Millcreek Canyon
  • East
  • West

This project is funded by the Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI), in partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, Utah Department of Transportation, U.S. Forest Service, and Millcreek City. 

For specific questions about the chemical treatment, please contact DWR Habitat Biologist Robby Edgel.

Myrtle spurge is a highly invasive ornamental weed that has spread outside of the garden setting and is outcompeting our native plants.

Wildlife and pollinators rely on native plants for pollen, nectar, and shelter and have coevolved to exist together. By reducing the spread of myrtle spurge along the wildland urban interface, we are actively working to conserve the Wasatch Front's public lands and open space that we all love.