I walked over the hill and through the school playground into the park today. The park is the Glen Canyon Regional Park. Westwood Retirement Resort, where we now live is near the opposite side of the park from where we lived previously, at Canyon Ridge. So the park is still readily accessible and enjoyed. My mission today was to see if Myrtle Spurge had reappeared in the park. Last April 25th I found it for the first time and later in the season, a number of us volunteers joined park personnel in removing all that we could find. Unfortunately, by that time, the plants had already produced seed. It grows in overflowing abundance in an adjoining private garden and it is from there that it has spread into the park. When the seed pods are ripe, they open explosively and can throw their seeds up to 4 metres.

Myrtle Spurge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_myrsinites) is an invasive plant that has been classed as a noxious weed and banned in several of the American States to the south of us. It grows well in the relatively warm, dry climate of the Okanagan, and I am afraid that we shall continue to find it here.

Today, as I entered the park alongside the private rock garden from which the Myrtle Spurge had previously escaped, I at once found two small plants along the footpath. 

Another large specimen, one which grows on the inside of that private property, had extended branches through the boundary wire fence.

Outside of the park fence, several large plants had leapfrogged downhill toward the park. All specimens appeared to now be at the early flowering stage.

For your interest, I have included a picture taken of one of the first plants found last April. 

I am grateful to friends, Reg Newman and George Scotter, who identified the plant for me. 

The last picture is from Google Earth, showing the location of the plants in relation to the park (note the Blue Pin labelled Myrtle Spurge). Our present residence is marked by the other blue pin labelled "Home" and our previous residence, Canyon Ridge, is third from the top in the cluster of houses at the bottom centre of the picture. I plan to continue my watch in the park for the continued appearance Myrtle Spurge.