Galinsoga quadriradiata aka Hairy Galinsoga

Galinsoga quadriradiata is an annual in the aster family, Asteraceae. Its names include shaggy soldier, hairy galinsoga, and Peruvian daisy. Its native range runs from Mexico to southern tropical America. It has spread beyond this range to many world regions. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The RHS lists Galinsoga ciliata as a synonym. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Plants may stand upright or sprawl across the ground. Their form changes with the place where they grow. The green stems branch often and bear coarse hairs. Stems generally measure about 0.17–0.83 feet (0.05–0.25 metres) long. Green, egg-shaped leaves grow in pairs along the stems. Each leaf has toothed edges and a pointed tip. Hair cover ranges from sparse to dense. Leaves reach about 0.25 feet (0.076 metres) long. Their width reaches about 0.17 feet (0.051 metres). Three clear veins start at each leaf's base. Lower leaves have stalks, while upper leaves lack them.

Flower heads appear from spring through summer and into fall. They grow at shoot tips and beside upper leaves. Each small head has a yellow centre of disc florets. White ray florets surround this centre, most often numbering five. Some heads have as few as four or eight rays. Each ray tip has three notches. Green, oval bracts sit beneath the flower head. Both ray and disc florets form dry fruits called achenes. These bear narrow, fringed scales and a slender awn. Fruits appear in summer and fall.

This plant grows fast when the weather turns warm. It grows in full sun and also accepts partial shade. It favours fertile loam or clay loam rich in nitrogen. Soil should drain well, though moisture can range from dry to moist. It spreads by seed and can soon form dense groups. It occurs in crop fields, lawns, gardens, and disturbed ground. It also grows among container plants and in landscape beds.

Its main garden drawback is its strong habit of reseeding. Control includes pulling plants and stopping them from setting seed. Mulch is another control method listed by NC State Extension. That source reports no major insect or disease problems. Some people eat the leaves in salads. This food use does not establish safety for every plant part. The supplied sources give no broader toxicity assessment.