Chondrilla juncea aka Nakedweed

Chondrilla juncea belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its common names include skeleton weed, gum succory, and devil's grass. Kew places its native range from Europe into central Asia. That range also includes the Canary Islands and Arabian Peninsula. Plants For A Future lists it across northern Africa too. It grows in temperate regions and dry, open places. The RHS records it as non-native to Britain and Ireland.

This herb grows as a biennial or perennial. Plants For A Future gives its height as 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Kew records its life form as perennial. Its roots help hold loose or damaged soil in place. This gives it some value for soil cover and erosion control. Yet its invasive nature limits that use. It is not a sound choice for planting without weighing that risk.

Small yellow flowers supply nectar and pollen to bees and other insects. These can offer food during dry spells with few other blooms. Plants For A Future gives July to September as its flowering season. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects carry the pollen. The source warns that the seeds may be poisonous. This warning matters even though the leaves have a history of food use.

For growing conditions, Plants For A Future suggests a sunny, well-drained site. It lists sandy and loamy soils as suitable. The plant accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. It can grow in dry or moist ground but not shade. The source lists USDA zones 6–10. Yet it also says that its British hardiness remains uncertain. Its proposed growing needs draw in part on its wild habitat. Treat those suggestions as less certain than tested garden guidance.

People eat the leaves raw or cooked. Plants For A Future describes their taste as mild. It also records their use as a wild salad in France. Sheep and goats graze the plant in some Mediterranean regions. Older growth becomes tough and offers poorer forage. A recorded folk use aims to aid the stomach. That record does not establish medical safety or benefit. The edible leaves and reported seed hazard concern different plant parts. Do not treat the whole plant as food.