# coastalplain chaffhead (*Carphephorus corymbosus*)

The coastalplain chaffhead is a beautiful flowering plant that grows in sunny places. Its bright yellow flowers attract butterflies and bees, making it a happy spot in nature.

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

![coastalplain chaffhead](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Florida_paintbrush_%28Carphephorus_corymbosus%29_%286256923212%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Florida_paintbrush_%28Carphephorus_corymbosus%29_%286256923212%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The coastalplain chaffhead stands upright with sturdy stems, crowned by flat-topped clusters of many small, disc-like flowers. Its striking purple to pink-lavender blooms provide a vibrant contrast against narrow, lance-shaped green leaves.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Its flowers are like tiny purple paintbrushes dotting the landscape!
- Look closely! Each 'flower' is actually a tiny cluster of many smaller blooms!
- This plant loves sunshine and can handle super hot weather!
- Underground roots help it survive fires and quickly regrow!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Buster:** Coastalplain chaffhead can thrive in poor, sandy soils because it has strong roots that find water deep underground to survive dry spells.
- **Pollinator Magnet:** Coastalplain chaffhead has vibrant, nectar-rich flowers that act like a beacon, drawing in various beneficial insects to help spread its pollen.
- **Fire Survivor:** Coastalplain chaffhead can regrow quickly after wildfires, as its deep underground rootstock survives, allowing it to sprout new growth.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 20-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late_summer_fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **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 the flowers for nectar, aiding in pollination
- **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Feeds on nectar and pollen, transferring it between plants

## Traits

- [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.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

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

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify coastalplain chaffhead?

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 coastalplain chaffhead?

30-90 cm

### How wide does coastalplain chaffhead spread?

20-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on coastalplain chaffhead?

0.5-1.5 cm

### When does coastalplain chaffhead bloom?

Late_summer_fall

### Is coastalplain chaffhead edible?

No

### Is coastalplain chaffhead toxic?

None

### What is coastalplain chaffhead's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Morningside Nature Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morningside-nature-center) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve

## 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: [Coastalplain Chaffhead: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coastalplain-chaffhead)