# Camphorweed (*Heterotheca subaxillaris*) Camphorweed is a bright yellow flower that grows in sunny places. It has long, narrow leaves and can be found in fields and along roadsides. Its cheerful flowers attract butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Camphorweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Heterotheca_subaxillaris001.jpg&width=800) Photo: M ath K night, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heterotheca_subaxillaris001.jpg) ## Appearance The Camphorweed is a tall, upright plant with many branching stems covered in small, sticky hairs. It has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with many petals, clustered at the ends of its branches, and lance-shaped green leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Heterotheca ## Interesting facts - Wow! Camphorweed's tiny seeds can stay active in the soil for years, waiting for the perfect time to sprout! - Wow! Each bright yellow flower is actually made up of many tiny, individual flowers grouped together! - Wow! Its strong scent comes from special oils, just like the camphor used in VapoRub! - Wow! This tough plant loves to grow where others struggle, like roadsides and sandy beaches! ## Special abilities - **Sticky Shield:** Camphorweed has sticky, glandular hairs that trap small insects, helping it defend against pesky plant-eaters. - **Scented Signal:** Its leaves produce a strong camphor-like oil that deters most hungry herbivores from taking a bite. - **Pioneer Power:** Camphorweed can thrive in disturbed, poor, and sandy soils where many other plants struggle to grow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Summer to Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Visits flowers for nectar. - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Collects pollen and nectar. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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 plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Camphorweed? 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 Camphorweed? 30-150 cm ### How wide does Camphorweed spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Camphorweed? 1-2.5 cm ### When does Camphorweed bloom? Late Summer to Fall ### Is Camphorweed edible? No ### Is Camphorweed toxic? Mild ### What is Camphorweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bainbridge Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bainbridge-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Quartz Mountain Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quartz-mountain-nature-park) — Oklahoma, US · Park - [Ellen Trout Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ellen-trout-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Hale Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hale-avenue-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Luverne Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luverne-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Pasaquan](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pasaquan) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Camphorweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/camphorweed) ## 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: [Camphorweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/camphorweed)