# American Tarwort (*Flourensia cernua*)

The American Tarwort is a bright green plant that grows in warm places. It has small yellow flowers that bloom in the summer, attracting butterflies and bees.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![American Tarwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Flourensia_cernua.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Russ Kleinman and Richard Felger., Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flourensia_cernua.jpg)

## Appearance

The American Tarwort is a shrub with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that stand out in arid landscapes. Its narrow, often sticky green leaves grow on woody stems, contributing to its bushy and resilient appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Flourensia

## Interesting facts

- Even in harsh deserts, this plant provides food for certain insects!
- It's a tough plant, able to live for many years in dry, sunny spots!
- Its name "Tarwort" comes from the sticky sap it produces! Wow!
- Look closely! Its bright yellow flowers are like miniature sunflowers.

## Special abilities

- **Sticky Shield:** American Tarwort has sticky, resinous leaves that can deter hungry animals, protecting it from being eaten.
- **Desert Survivor:** This plant can thrive in very dry places, holding onto precious water in its specialized leaves and stems.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-200 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar and collects pollen.
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on nectar during migration.
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on leaves and young shoots.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch wild plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify American Tarwort?

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 Tarwort?

50-200 cm

### How wide does American Tarwort spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on American Tarwort?

1-2 cm

### When does American Tarwort bloom?

Late summer to fall

### Is American Tarwort edible?

No

### Is American Tarwort toxic?

None

### What is American Tarwort's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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 Tarwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-tarwort)