Aster Family
Plants in the aster/sunflower family (Asteraceae) all have flowerheads made of many tiny flowers. Sometimes the flowerhead may look like a single flower (like in sunflowers). Flowerheads often have bracts (modified leaf structures) at the base. Seeds often have tufts of white hairs to aid wind dispersal. Some of these species have distinct smells.
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Look Alikes
The Asteraceae family is a wide-ranging family of plants, and several of the species in this group have native look alikes. Species-specific look alikes are addressed in species profiles.
Knapweeds and thistles are both groups of species in the Asteraceae family with several invasive species. They are addressed in separate profiles
Resource Table
| Classification | Common Name | Scientific Name | Resources | Videos | Weed ID slides ppt (AGR 375) | National Distribution Map | Look-Alike Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibited | Butterfly dock | Petasites hybridus | Link | Petasites hybridus | National Map | ||
| Prohibited | Coltsfoot | Tussilago farfara | Link | Tussilago farfara | National Map | ||
| Restricted | Common Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare | UWEX Factsheet Link | Video | Tanacetum vulgare | National Map | |
| Prohibited/Restricted | Seaside goldenrod | Solidago sempervirens | Link 1 Link 2 | Solidago sempervirens | National Map | ||
| Restricted | Wormwood | Artemisia absinthium | Link | Artemisia absinthium | National Map |
Species Summary Table
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Leaves | Flowers | Seeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemisia absinthium | Wormwood | 1-3” long, deeply lobed, aromatic; light green to olive green with silvery appearance from fine hairs | Hundreds of ¼” dull yellow, button- shaped flowerheads in loose branching clusters in upper plant; July – Sept. | Small dry seeds without tufts of hair |
| Petasites hybridus | Butterfly dock | Large, heart-shaped basal leaves up to 3’ across; resemble rhubarb | Pinkish flower stalks, 2-8” long, with bundles of tiny pink flowers; emerge in early spring before leaves fully emerge | Seeds with feathery white bristles |
| Solidago sempervirens | Seaside goldenrod | Woody plant base; narrow basal leaves; stem with wings; leaves succulent | Pyramidal inflorescence of many deep yellow-golden flowers; flowering from top to bottom; late summer | Small dry seeds with tufts of white hair |
| Tussilago farfara | Colt’s foot | Rosette of heart-shaped, slightly toothed leaves up to 6” long; upper side of leaves dark green, smooth; underside of leaves covered in fuzzy white felt; emerge after flowering | Dandelion-like flowers; single flowers at the end of each flowering stem; 1 – 1 ¼”; early spring | White, fluffy seed heads |
| Tanacetum vulgare | Tansy | Fern-like, compound leaves with 4-10 pairs of leaflets, up to 8” long; pungent odor | 20 – 200 yellow, button-shaped ¼” flowers in flat clusters up to 4” across; late summer | Dark brown seeds |