Tribe Astereae Rank Species | Genus Grindelia Higher classification Grindelia | |
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Similar Grindelia, Daisy family, Grindelia camporum, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Heterotheca | ||
Grindelia squarrosa
Grindelia squarrosa, also known as a curly-top gumweed or curlycup gumweed, is a small North American biennial or short-lived perennial plant.
Contents
- Grindelia squarrosa
- Curlycup gumweed grindelia squarrosa western native ninja gardening episode 28
- Description
- Varieties
- Uses
- Native American medicinal plant
- References
It is native to western and central North America, from British Columbia east to Québec and New England, and south as far as California, Arizona, Chihuahua, and Texas. The species may possibly be naturalized in much of the eastern part of that distribution.
Curlycup gumweed grindelia squarrosa western native ninja gardening episode 28
Description
Grindelia squarrosa is often found in disturbed roadsides, streamsides; 700–2,300 metres (2,300–7,500 ft) in elevation. It is a decumbent to erect, much-branched perennial herb of subshrub up to 100 cm (40 inches) tall. The 1.5–7 cm leaves are gray-green, crenate with each tooth having a yellow bump near its tip, and resinous.
Grindelia squarrosaproduces numerous flower heads in open, branching arrays. Each head usually contains 12-40 yellow ray flowers, though sometimes the rays are absent. These surround many small disc flowers. The plant blooms from July through late September.
Varieties
Uses
Grindelia squarrosa is a notable native pollinators plant in its natural habitats, listed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network—NPIN, to be of "Special Value to Native Bees."
The plant concentrates selenium, and can be toxic when ingested by cattle, humans, and other mammals.
Native American medicinal plant
Grindelia squarrosa was used by Great Plains Tribes as a medicinal herb to treat illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis or skin rashes.
It was used as a traditional medicinal plant by Shoshone peoples in various regions. The Gosiute band dialect's Shoshone language name for the plant is mu’-ha-kûm. The Lakota language name for the plant is pteíčhiyuȟa.