Cypress spurge is native to Eurasia. It is a perennial herb with erect stems 10 to 60 cm tall. Its leaves are 3 cm long, thin, waxy, and blue-green that spiral around the stem.
Flowers are clustered in bunches at the ends of stems. They are greatly reduced and lack both sepals and petals. The inflorescences are lime green to yellow in color and contain a single female and several male flowers. The flowers turn orange-red to brown as they age. They smell strongly of honey.
The leaves and stems emit a milky, toxic sap when broken. Although sheep may eat it, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle. Humans should be careful and avoid contacting the plant with bare skin as it may cause skin irritation.