Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC.

Seaside Oxeye; Bushy Seaside Tansy

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Seaside Oxeye is a native perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is native to coastal regions of Alabama. It is found in salt or brackish marshes, on dunes, and on shell middens. It is a perennial from a rhizome. Stems are erect to decumbent, to 3 feet in height, semi-woody, with sticky-resinous sap. Leaves are opposite, sessile or with short petioles, evergreen, fleshy, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate in outline, serrate with a few spine-tipped teeth near the base, and pubescent with long or short hairs or rarely glabrous. Flowers are produced in solitary terminal or axillary heads. Each head has 20-40 spine-tipped phyllaries, 7-30 yellow ray flowers and 20–75 yellow disc flowers. The fruit is an 3-4 angled achene. Seaside Oxeye is tolerant of drought and salt. It is used in landscaping near the coast. The flowers attract various species of butterflies and bees, and the fruit are eaten by several species of birds. Plants can be purchased from some native plant nurseries, or grown from seed or cuttings.—A. Diamond.

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Native OBL (NWPL)

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