Verbesina occidentalis (L.) Walter

Southern Crownbeard; Yellow Crownbeard

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Crownbeard is a native herbaceous perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Southern Crownbeard occurs on creek and river banks, on sand bars, on shell mounds, along roadsides, and in open woods. It is a perennial from a hardened base. The stems are erect, 5-6 feet in height, branched near the top, green in color, and winged. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate to deltoid or lanceolate in outline, coarsely toothed, and scabrellous. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in corymbs or panicles. The involucres are bell-shaped with phyllaries in 2 series. Each head has 0-5 yellow ray flowers and 10-20 yellow disc flowers. The fruit is a black achene with two apical awns. Southern Crownbeard is sometimes available from native eplant nurseries. It prefers a site in full sun. The flowers of Southern Crownbeard are attractive to many native bees and butterflies.—A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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