Yellow Crownbeard

Verbesina occidentalis

The Yellow Crownbeard is a bright yellow flower that grows in sunny places. It has tall stems and can attract butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Yellow Crownbeard has striking bright yellow, daisy-like flower heads, each with a slightly domed center, often appearing in profuse clusters. Its distinctive stems possess noticeable 'wings' or ridges, and the leaves are elongated with a rough, hairy texture. This plant typically forms a tall, bushy clump.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderAsteralesFamilyAsteraceaeGenusVerbesina

Photo: FritzflohrreynoldsCC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

Yellow Crownbeard

Interesting facts

It's sometimes called 'tickseed sunflower' because of its seed shape!

Its seeds have tiny hooks, helping them hitchhike on passing animals!

Some older common names for it mean 'yellow flower with a crown'!

This plant can help prevent soil erosion with its strong, spreading roots.

Special abilities

Yellow Crownbeard has unique 'winged' stems that help strengthen the plant, preventing it from flopping over in wind and rain.

Yellow Crownbeard produces abundant nectar and pollen, drawing in many different bees and butterflies for pollination.

Yellow Crownbeard can grow rapidly from seeds, allowing it to quickly establish itself in disturbed or open areas.

Measurements & details

Height: 100-200 cm
Spread: 60-120 cm
Flower Size: 2-5 cm
Bloom Season: Late Summer to Fall (July-October)
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

visits flowers for nectar and pollen

Pollinates

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

feeds on nectar and aids reproduction

Eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

browses on leaves and young stems

Pollinates

White-lined Sphinx moth

Hyles lineata

visits flowers at dusk and night

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

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 Yellow Crownbeard?

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 Yellow Crownbeard?

100-200 cm

How wide does Yellow Crownbeard spread?

60-120 cm

How big are the flowers on Yellow Crownbeard?

2-5 cm

When does Yellow Crownbeard bloom?

Late Summer to Fall (July-October)

Is Yellow Crownbeard edible?

Is Yellow Crownbeard toxic?

None

What is Yellow Crownbeard's lifecycle?