Helenium amarum (Raf.) H. Rock

Bitterweed; Yellowdicks; Five Leaf Sneezeweed; Spanish Daisy

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Bitterweed is a native herbaceous annual species in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It occurs throughout Alabama. Bitterweed grows in disturbed areas such as on roadsides, in urban areas, and in fields and pastures. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are erect, usually branched, green in color, and glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves are alternate, sessile, linear in outline, entire or with a few small teeth, and glabrous or with a few hairs. The lower stem leaves are often withered at flowering. All parts of the plants release an unpleasant odor when damaged. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in paniculiform arrays. Each head has 8-10 yellow ray flowers and 75-250 yellow disc flowers. The fruit is an achene. The common name is in reference to this plant causing milk to taste bitter when cows graze on the foliage. A large population of Bitterweed in a pasture is often a sign of overgrazing. Bitterweed is an easy to grow annual that is tolerant of poor soils and dry conditions. It can be used for borders, rock gardens, and for xeriscape gardening. It has an extended blooming period and is an important pollinator plant, attracting butterflies, sweat bees, native wasps, and beetles. All parts of the plant contain the glycoside gudaldin and can cause toxic symptoms. A decoction of the entire plan was used to make “Bitterweed Tea”, a folk remedy for intestinal worms.—A. Diamond.

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Native FACU- (NWPL)

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