# American burnweed (*Erechtites hieraciifolius*) American burnweed is a tall plant with soft, green leaves and fluffy white flowers. It often grows in sunny places and is loved by butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![American burnweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Erechtites_hieracifolia2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sphl, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erechtites_hieracifolia2.jpg) ## Appearance The American burnweed is a tall, slender plant with hollow, often reddish-tinged stems and deeply toothed leaves. Its small, greenish-white to yellowish flowers lack showy petals and are clustered at the stem's top, later forming fluffy white seed heads. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Erechtites ## Interesting facts - Despite its common name, American burnweed doesn't sting or burn you if you touch it! - It's sometimes called 'pilewort' because it loves to grow in piles of disturbed earth or brush! - Its scientific name roughly translates to 'fire plant', reflecting its habit of growing after burns! - This plant’s hollow stems make it lighter, helping it grow tall quickly without using too much energy! ## Special abilities - **Fire Follower:** American burnweed can quickly sprout and thrive after fires, helping it colonize open, sun-drenched areas fast. - **Wind Rider:** American burnweed has fluffy 'parachutes' on its seeds that help them catch the wind and travel far. - **Tough Pioneer:** American burnweed can grow in poor, disturbed soils, helping it survive where other plants struggle. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-250 cm - **Spread:** 15-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit its tiny flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** [Painted Lady](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-lady) (*Vanessa cardui*) — Caterpillars of the Painted Lady butterfly munch on its leaves. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — White-tailed deer may browse on young burnweed plants. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild plants unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American burnweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is American burnweed? 30-250 cm ### How wide does American burnweed spread? 15-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on American burnweed? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does American burnweed bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is American burnweed edible? No ### Is American burnweed toxic? Mild ### What is American burnweed's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Fort Caroline](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-caroline) — Florida, US · National Park - [Glastonbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glastonbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Harriman Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harriman-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Haym Salomon Memorial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/haym-salomon-memorial-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park - [Hickory Hill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hickory-hill-park) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see American burnweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-burnweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [American burnweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-burnweed)