Melanthera nivea (L.) Small

Snow Squarestem

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Snow Squarestem is a native herbaceous perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found at scattered locations throughout the state. Snow Squarestem occurs on shell mounds, in Black Belt prairie woodlands, in rocky woodlands, in floodplain forests, in live oak hammocks, along streams, and in deciduous forest edges and gaps. It is a perennial from a hardened base. Stems are erect to sprawling, 4-angled, and harshly pubescent. The stems are usually freely branched and 3-4 feet in height. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate to elliptic in outline, sometimes 3-lobed, serrate, and pubescent. The leaves are often 3-veined from near the base. Flowers are produced in heads from the axils of the leaves. The heads are sometimes in corymbs. The heads are subtended by ovate to lanceolate phyllaries. The heads contain 20-30 white disc flowers. The mucronate tips of the paleae give the heads a “prickly” appearance. The fruit is an achene with 2-6 barbellate bristles. Snow Squarestem is only occasionally offered for sale by nurseries, but it is easily grown from seed. It attracts a wide range of insects from bees to butterflies, and flowers late into the year. Snow Squarestem may require regular pruning in the garden to keep plants compact and to promote flowering.—A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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