# horseweed (*Erigeron canadensis*) Horseweed is a tall plant that grows in fields and along roadsides. It has small, fluffy flowers that look like little daisies and can be found in many places during the summer. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 26 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Marestail ![horseweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2015.08.22_11.27.13_DSCN2872_-_Flickr_-_andrey_zharkikh.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015.08.22_11.27.13_DSCN2872_-_Flickr_-_andrey_zharkikh.jpg) ## Appearance The horseweed is a tall, slender plant with an unbranched stem covered in many narrow, hairy leaves that spiral upwards. Its tiny, whitish-green flowers grow in clusters at the very top, giving it a somewhat scruffy, upright appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Erigeron ## Interesting facts - Farmers don't love it, as it's a very common weed in crop fields! - It’s a super-colonizer, often the very first plant to grow in disturbed ground! - Long ago, Native Americans used horseweed for upset stomachs and other remedies! - Some studies show it can help clean up polluted soil by absorbing metals! ## Special abilities - **Wind Traveler:** Horseweed has tiny, parachute-like seeds that catch the wind, helping it spread far and wide and colonize new spots quickly. - **Soil Architect:** Horseweed can release chemicals into the soil, which helps it compete by making it harder for other plants to grow nearby. - **Tough Survivor:** Horseweed has deep roots that help it find water, allowing it to survive and thrive even in dry or disturbed environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-200 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits tiny flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** Tarnished plant bug (*Lygus lineolaris*) — Feeds on sap and plant tissues. - **Eats:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — Eats its small seeds in fall and winter. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [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. - [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 a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify horseweed? 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 horseweed? 30-200 cm ### How wide does horseweed spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on horseweed? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does horseweed bloom? Summer to fall ### Is horseweed edible? Yes ### Is horseweed toxic? None ### What is horseweed's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Chestnut Street District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-street-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Clinton Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clinton-hill-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Dead Run Stream Valley Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dead-run-stream-valley-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/delaware-division-of-the-pennsylvania-canal) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic Site - [Fairhaven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairhaven) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Jefferson District Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jefferson-district-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see horseweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/horseweed) ## 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: [Horseweed: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/horseweed)