# scentless mayweed (*Tripleurospermum inodorum*)

Scentless mayweed is a cheerful little flower with white petals and a yellow center. It grows in fields and gardens, adding beauty to the landscape without a strong smell.

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

![scentless mayweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tripleurospermum_inodorum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-178.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tripleurospermum_inodorum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-178.jpg)

## Appearance

The scentless mayweed has bright white, daisy-like flowers with a prominent yellow center and finely divided, feathery green leaves. Its petals are broader and less sparse than some similar wildflowers, distinguishing it visually.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- It's a world traveler, found on almost every continent!
- Its name, 'inodorum', means 'without scent', unlike its chamomile cousins!
- One plant can release thousands of seeds, like tiny botanical fireworks!
- This plant can grow almost anywhere, even cracks in pavements!

## Special abilities

- **Seed Powerhouse:** Scentless mayweed can produce thousands of tiny seeds, which helps it spread widely and create new plants easily.
- **Tough Survivor:** Scentless mayweed has a strong ability to grow in poor or compacted soils, which helps it thrive where other plants struggle.
- **Long-lasting Seeds:** Scentless mayweed has seeds that can stay dormant and viable in the soil for many years, helping it reappear after disturbances.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-80 cm
- **Spread:** 15-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1.5-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for food
- **Eats:** Black bean aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — Feeds on sap from stems

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [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.
- [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 flowers without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify scentless mayweed?

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 scentless mayweed?

20-80 cm

### How wide does scentless mayweed spread?

15-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on scentless mayweed?

1.5-3 cm

### When does scentless mayweed bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is scentless mayweed edible?

No

### Is scentless mayweed toxic?

None

### What is scentless mayweed's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Leadville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leadville-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District

## 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: [Scentless Mayweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scentless-mayweed)
