Search

[?]

Open the Advanced Search

Argentine Fleabane

Conyza bonarienses

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Contents

Plant Profile

Flowering Months:
JAN  FEB  MAR  APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae (Daisy)
Also in this family:
Alpine Blue Sow-thistle, Alpine Cotula, Alpine Fleabane, Alpine Saw-wort, Annual Ragweed, Annual Sunflower, Autumn Hawkbit, Autumn Oxeye, Beaked Hawksbeard, Beggarticks, Bilbao Fleabane, Black Knapweed, Black-eyed Susan, Blanketflower, Blue Fleabane, Blue Globe-thistle, Bristly Oxtongue, Broad-leaved Cudweed, Broad-leaved Ragwort, Brown Knapweed, Butterbur, Buttonweed, Cabbage Thistle, Canadian Fleabane, Canadian Goldenrod, Carline Thistle, Chalk Knapweed, Chamois Ragwort, Changing Michaelmas Daisy, Chicory, Chinese Mugwort, Chinese Ragwort, Coltsfoot, Common Blue Sow-thistle, Common Cat's-ear, Common Cudweed, Common Daisy, Common Dandelion, Common Fleabane, Common Goldenrod, Common Groundsel, Common Michaelmas Daisy, Common Mugwort, Common Ragwort, Common Wormwood, Coneflower, Confused Michaelmas Daisy, Corn Chamomile, Corn Marigold, Cornflower, Cotton Thistle, Cottonweed, Creeping Thistle, Daisy Bush, Dwarf Cudweed, Dwarf Thistle, Early Goldenrod, Eastern Groundsel, Eastern Leopardsbane, Elecampane, English Hawkweed, Fen Ragwort, Feverfew, Field Fleawort, Field Wormwood, Fox and Cubs, French Tarragon, Gallant Soldier, Garden Lettuce, Giant Butterbur, Glabrous-headed Hawkweed, Glandular Globe-thistle, Glaucous Michaelmas Daisy, Globe Artichoke, Globe-thistle, Goat's Beard, Golden Ragwort, Golden Samphire, Goldilocks Aster, Grass-leaved Goldenrod, Great Lettuce, Greater Burdock, Greater Knapweed, Grey-headed Hawkweed, Guernsey Fleabane, Hairless Blue Sow-thistle, Hairless Leptinella, Hairy Michaelmas Daisy, Harpur Crewe's Leopardsbane, Hawkweed Oxtongue, Heath Cudweed, Heath Groundsel, Hemp Agrimony, Highland Cudweed, Hoary Mugwort, Hoary Ragwort, Hybrid Knapweed, Intermediate Burdock, Irish Fleabane, Jersey Cudweed, Jerusalem Artichoke, Lance-leaved Hawkweed, Lavender-cotton, Leafless Hawksbeard, Least Lettuce, Leopardplant, Leopardsbane, Leptinella, Lesser Burdock, Lesser Hawkbit, Lesser Sunflower, London Bur-marigold, Magellan Ragwort, Marsh Cudweed, Marsh Hawksbeard, Marsh Ragwort, Marsh Sow-thistle, Marsh Thistle, Meadow Thistle, Melancholy Thistle, Mexican Fleabane, Milk Thistle, Mountain Everlasting, Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Musk Thistle, Narrow-leaved Cudweed, Narrow-leaved Hawkweed, Narrow-leaved Michaelmas Daisy, Narrow-leaved Ragwort, New England Hawkweed, New Zealand Holly, Nipplewort, Nodding Bur-marigold, Northern Hawksbeard, Norwegian Mugwort, Oxeye Daisy, Oxford Ragwort, Pearly Everlasting, Perennial Cornflower, Perennial Ragweed, Perennial Sow-thistle, Perennial Sunflower, Pineapple Mayweed, Plantain-leaved Leopardsbane, Ploughman's Spikenard, Plymouth Thistle, Pontic Blue Sow-thistle, Pot Marigold, Prickly Lettuce, Prickly Sow-thistle, Purple Coltsfoot, Rayed Tansy, Red Star Thistle, Red-seeded Dandelion, Red-tipped Cudweed, Robin's Plantain, Roman Chamomile, Rough Cocklebur, Rough Hawkbit, Rough Hawksbeard, Russian Lettuce, Safflower, Salsify, Saw-wort, Scented Mayweed, Scentless Mayweed, Sea Aster, Sea Mayweed, Sea Wormwood, Seaside Daisy, Shaggy Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Shaggy Soldier, Shasta Daisy, Shetland Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Shrub Ragwort, Sicilian Chamomile, Silver Ragwort, Slender Mugwort, Slender Thistle, Small Cudweed, Small Fleabane, Smooth Cat's-ear, Smooth Hawksbeard, Smooth Sow-thistle, Sneezeweed, Sneezewort, Spear Thistle, Spotted Cat's-ear, Spotted Hawkweed, Sticky Groundsel, Stinking Chamomile, Stinking Hawksbeard, Tall Fleabane, Tall Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Tansy, Thin-leaved Sunflower, Treasureflower, Trifid Bur-marigold, Tuberous Thistle, Tyneside Leopardplant, Viper's Grass, Wall Lettuce, Welsh Groundsel, Welted Thistle, White African Daisy, White Butterbur, White Buttons, Willdenow's Leopardsbane, Winter Heliotrope, Wood Burdock, Wood Ragwort, Woody Fleabane, Woolly Thistle, Yarrow, Yellow Chamomile, Yellow Fox and Cubs, Yellow Oxeye, Yellow Star Thistle, Yellow Thistle, York Groundsel
Type:
Flower
Life Cycle:
Annual
Maximum Size:
150 centimetres tall
Habitats:
Fields, gardens, grassland, lawns, meadows, parks, riversides, roadsides, walls, wasteland, wetland, woodland.

Flower:
֍
Yellow, many petals
 
Clusters of small pale yellow flowers. Flower bracts are long-branched and red or purple-tipped. The bracts are 3 to 5mm long.
Fruit:
The fruit is a seed with a plume of cream-coloured hairs attached at one end. The seeds are wind dispersed.
Leaves:
The bluish-green, lance-shaped leaves (2-6cm long) are covered in stiff hairs. Argentine Fleabane is shorter-growing than the similar looking Canadian Fleabane (Conyza canadensis). An erect, hairy perennial.
Other Names:
Asthma Weed, Flax-leaf Fleabane, Hairy Fleabane, Hairy Horseweed, Rough Conyza, Tall Fleabane, Wavy-leaf Fleabane.
Frequency (UK):
Unusual  

Similar Species

Other Information

Summary

Conyza bonariensis, also known as tall fleabane or Argentine fleabane, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb in the Asteraceae family. It is native to South America, specifically Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, but it is now widely distributed in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia and North America. It is considered as a weed and invasive species in some regions.

Conyza bonariensis usually grows to a height of 1.5 m and it has a branching stem that is covered with fine hair. The leaves are oblong, 2-4 cm long and covered with fine hair. The small, yellow-white composite flowerheads are arranged in a terminal corymb. The plant blooms throughout the summer and the fall.

This plant is quite adaptable and can grow in a variety of soil types and in full sun or partial shade. It can also tolerate drought and poor soil. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including pastures, meadows, roadsides, waste places and along railroads. It's also a common weed in cultivated fields, gardens, and nurseries.

Like Conyza bilbaoana and Conyza sumatrensis, C. bonariensis is considered invasive and difficult to control, once it establishes in an area, it can outcompete native plants, thus reducing biodiversity. It is propagated by seeds, which are dispersed by wind, animals, and water. To control it, manual removal, using mulch or mulch combined with herbicide application are some of the methods.


Blog

Argentine Fleabane, scientifically known as Conyza bonariensis, is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the family Asteraceae. It is native to South America, particularly Argentina, and has become a widespread weed in many parts of the world.

Appearance and Characteristics

Argentine Fleabane is an annual or biennial plant that can grow up to a height of 60-150cm. The stem is erect, branching, and can be smooth or hairy. The leaves are alternate and can be up to 15 cm long, with a slightly serrated margin. The flowers are small and white or pale pink, arranged in clusters at the top of the stem. They bloom from late summer to autumn.

Habitat and Distribution

Argentine Fleabane is a highly adaptable and invasive plant that can grow in a wide range of habitats, including cultivated fields, roadsides, waste areas, and disturbed habitats. It prefers warm and moist environments and can tolerate both acidic and alkaline soils. The plant is native to South America but has been introduced and naturalized in many parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Ecological Impact

Argentine Fleabane is considered a noxious weed in many countries because of its invasive nature and ability to outcompete native plant species. It can reduce crop yields and lower the quality of harvested crops. Additionally, the plant is known to produce allelopathic compounds, which can inhibit the growth of other plants in the vicinity. Argentine Fleabane is also a host to many plant pathogens and insect pests.

Medicinal and Economic Importance

Despite its negative ecological impact, Argentine Fleabane has some medicinal and economic uses. In traditional medicine, the plant has been used to treat respiratory and digestive ailments, as well as to promote wound healing. Some research has also shown that Argentine Fleabane has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In addition, the plant can be used as a source of biomass for bioenergy production.

Control Measures

Due to its invasive nature, Argentine Fleabane can be difficult to control once it has established a population. The most effective control methods are preventive measures, such as crop rotation, and the use of pre-emergent herbicides. Hand-pulling or mowing can also be effective for smaller infestations, but these methods are not practical for large populations. Biological control methods, such as the use of natural enemies like insects or fungi, are also being explored as a potential control measure.

Ecological Impact

The negative impact of Argentine Fleabane on the environment and agriculture is mainly due to its ability to outcompete native plant species and reduce crop yields. The plant is known to produce a large amount of seeds that can disperse through the wind, water, and soil movement. Once established, Argentine Fleabane can form dense stands that shade out other plants, depriving them of essential nutrients and light. This can result in the degradation of natural habitats and the loss of biodiversity.

In agriculture, Argentine Fleabane is particularly problematic in fields where herbicide-resistant crops are grown. The plant is known to be resistant to glyphosate, one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture. This means that conventional herbicide application is ineffective in controlling the plant, and alternative methods need to be employed.

Medicinal and Economic Importance

Despite its negative ecological impact, Argentine Fleabane has some medicinal and economic uses. In traditional medicine, the plant has been used to treat respiratory and digestive ailments, as well as to promote wound healing. The plant contains a variety of compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, and saponins, that have been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition to its medicinal uses, Argentine Fleabane has some economic potential as a source of biomass for bioenergy production. The plant is fast-growing and can be harvested for its leaves and stems, which can be used to produce biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. The production of biofuels from Argentine Fleabane has been shown to be economically viable, particularly in areas where the plant is abundant.

Control Measures

Due to its invasive nature and ability to spread rapidly, Argentine Fleabane can be difficult to control once it has established a population. The most effective control methods are preventive measures, such as crop rotation, and the use of pre-emergent herbicides. Crop rotation involves planting different crops in the same field in successive seasons, which can help prevent the buildup of Argentine Fleabane and other weeds.

Pre-emergent herbicides are applied to the soil before the weed seeds germinate and can prevent the growth of Argentine Fleabane. However, the effectiveness of these herbicides can be reduced if the plant has already germinated or if the application is not timed correctly.

Hand-pulling or mowing can also be effective for smaller infestations, but these methods are not practical for large populations. Biological control methods, such as the use of natural enemies like insects or fungi, are also being explored as a potential control measure. However, the use of biological control methods needs to be carefully considered to avoid unintended effects on non-target species.

In conclusion, Argentine Fleabane is a problematic weed that can have negative ecological and economic impacts. The plant has some medicinal and economic uses, but effective control measures are necessary to prevent its spread and minimize its negative effects on the environment and agriculture. Further research is needed to develop sustainable control strategies that balance the economic and ecological aspects of the plant.