Madia sativa aka Madia Oil Plant

Madia sativa is an annual in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its common names include Chile tarweed and coast tarweed. It comes from western North America and southern South America. Its northern range runs from British Columbia to California. Farther south, it grows in Chile and western Argentina. It occurs in temperate regions on both continents.

Garden references give a height near 2.5–2.6 feet [0.75–0.8 metres]. A broader account reports 0.7–7.9 feet [0.2–2.4 metres], showing a much wider range. The plant has a strong scent and a sticky coating. It grows in grassland, sand, gravel, and disturbed ground. Other sites include stream banks, roadsides, and gaps in woods and shrublands. In North America, it grows from sea level to 3,281 feet [1,000 metres].

Flowers appear from July to August, according to Plants For A Future. They open in the morning or evening. Bright sun makes them close. Each plant bears both male and female flowers, and insects pollinate them. Seeds ripen from August to September. The sources give no details about flower colour or leaf shape.

This plant is easy to grow in garden beds. It needs sun and does not grow in shade. It prefers deep, loose soil that drains well. Sandy, loamy, and clay soils can all suit it. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline ground. It prefers moist soil, despite its need for good drainage. Sow seeds where they will grow in mid-spring. Cover them lightly; shoots should appear within about two weeks. Plants For A Future flags some weed potential.

The small seeds are edible, either raw or cooked. Some Indigenous North American peoples used them as a staple food. Roasted seeds can be ground and eaten as meal. The meal can also be mixed with water or cereal flour. Seeds contain about 41 percent edible oil. Pressing can recover oil equal to about 28 percent of seed weight. The oil can replace olive oil in food. It also serves as a lubricant and an ingredient in soap. Growers cultivate the plant for seed oil in parts of Europe and South America. The sources report no known hazards or medicinal uses. They do not establish frost limits or identify specific pests and diseases.