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Erechtites hieraciifolius (L.)Raf. ex DC.
American Burnweed
Fireweed
Florida native
A common aster of mainly wet to moist disturbed sites throughout nearly all of Florida. The native range includes the Americas and is found primarily in the eastern United States west into Texas to the Dakotas. Also occurs in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Typically 1-2m (39-79in.) tall with glabrous or unevenly coarse-tomentose erect stems. Leaves are alternate with serrated margins and vary from unlobed to having deeply dissected lobes. The appear in corymbiform arrays with urn- or pitcher-shaped involucres 10-17mm (4/10 to 2/3 in.) long and 5-12mm (2/10 to 1/2 in.) in diameter. Flowers lack ray petals and the yellow or pink disk florets barely extend past the bracts of the involucre. The fruit is a head of white wispy achenes. All parts of this plant are aromatic when crushed.
Erechtites hieraciifolius are often one of the earliest plants to appear after a fire, leading to the common names of burnweed and fireweed.
Erechtites hieraciifolius is a member of the Asteraceae - Aster family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jan 21, 2024
