# Lindheimer's Doveweed (*Croton lindheimeri*)

Lindheimer's Doveweed is a lovely plant with soft, green leaves and tiny white flowers. It grows close to the ground and can be found in sunny places, making it a cheerful addition to gardens and fields.

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

![Lindheimer's Doveweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Croton_capitatus.jpg&width=800)

Photo: EamonnPKeane at English Wikipedia, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Croton_capitatus.jpg)

## Appearance

The Lindheimer's Doveweed is a low-growing plant with distinctive silvery-green, star-shaped fuzzy leaves. It produces very small, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers in slender spikes. Its overall appearance is soft and muted, often forming dense clumps.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Euphorbiaceae
- **Genus:** Croton

## Interesting facts

- "Doveweed" gets its name because doves absolutely love to eat its seeds!
- Crushing a leaf releases a surprisingly faint, slightly spicy scent!
- Its fuzzy leaves make it look like it's covered in tiny, sparkly stars!
- This plant can grow super well in hot, sunny spots where others struggle!

## Special abilities

- **Velvety Coat:** Lindheimer's Doveweed has a dense covering of star-shaped hairs that reflect sunlight and trap moisture, helping it survive dry, sunny environments.
- **Quick Sprouter:** This plant can rapidly grow from seed after rains, allowing it to quickly colonize disturbed areas and complete its life cycle.
- **Tough Roots:** Lindheimer's Doveweed has a fibrous root system that helps anchor it in loose soils and efficiently absorb water from the upper layers.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Mourning Dove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mourning-dove) (*Zenaida macroura*) — Its seeds are a vital food source.
- **Eats:** [Northern Bobwhite](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-bobwhite) (*Colinus virginianus*) — Often consumes its small, nutritious seeds.
- **Eats:** Scaled Quail (*Callipepla squamata*) — Forages for fallen seeds in arid regions.
- **Eats:** [Dickcissel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dickcissel) (*Spiza americana*) — Eats seeds, especially during migration.

## 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.
- [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.
- [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 plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Lindheimer's Doveweed?

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 Lindheimer's Doveweed?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Lindheimer's Doveweed spread?

30-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on Lindheimer's Doveweed?

0.2-0.5 cm

### When does Lindheimer's Doveweed bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Lindheimer's Doveweed edible?

No

### Is Lindheimer's Doveweed toxic?

Mild

### What is Lindheimer's Doveweed's lifecycle?

Annual

## 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*)

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Source: [Lindheimer's Doveweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lindheimers-doveweed)