Verbesina helianthoides aka Gravelweed

Verbesina helianthoides, or crown beard, is in the aster family. This family has the name Asteraceae. It grows in clumps and lives for more than two years. It has soft growth, not woody stems. It comes from the southern and central United States. Its native range runs from Ohio to Iowa and Oklahoma. It reaches south to Texas and Georgia. In Missouri, it grows in the central and southern regions. There, it grows in dry, rocky woods and prairies. It also grows in thickets and along railroads.

Plants reach 2–3 feet [0.61–0.91 metres] tall. They spread about 2 feet [0.61 metres] wide. The stiff stems stand upright and bear hairs. Wings run along them and help tell the plant apart. The leaves have toothed edges and no leaf stalks. Their shape lies between oval and lance-shaped. The clumps and upright stems give the plant its form. Flowers sit at the tops of these stems.

The bright yellow flower heads look like daisies. Most open in June, with the main show in early summer. Each head spans about 0.125 feet [0.038 metres]. It has eight to fifteen narrow ray florets. These small flowers spread out like rays around a central disk. The disk is a slightly darker shade of yellow. A few flowers may follow through summer and into fall. Butterflies come to the blooms. The yellow heads give the plant its main show when in bloom.

Grow crown beard in full sun or light shade. It accepts average soil but needs water to drain well. It grows in dry soil or soil with moderate moisture. It also copes with drought and shallow, rocky ground. These traits suit sites where soil holds little water. Missouri Botanical Garden lists it for USDA zones 5–8. It grows with ease from seed and needs little care. The source reports no serious problems with insects or disease.

Crown beard suits native plant gardens and loose cottage gardens. It also fits wildflower meadows and open, rocky woods. Missouri Botanical Garden favors plantings that let it grow as in the wild. It prefers these to formal borders for this species. The plant also copes with erosion, which adds value on such sites. Its native sites and soil needs support these garden uses. The supplied sources give no facts about its fruit. They do not show whether people can eat it. Nor do they show whether it is toxic.