# Tall yellow flower weed



## BHH (May 29, 2015)

What is this plant called? Don't think it's a goldenrod? 4 to 6 feet tall.


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Got some up to ten ft on my place in the lowgrounds. Don't know the name but the bees seem to use it. G


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

_Helianthemum autumnale_ also known as Sneezeweed, or in some places wing stem. Excellent very late forage plant in northern areas as its height allows it to escape early frosts. Grows at least eight or nine feet tall here in NY. Although its original range does include my county (Rensselaer) in NY, my plants came as uninvited seedlings with plants I brought from my Mother's farm in Rappahannock Co., VA. 

It is really weedy in VA, but no so much up here, though it will spread easily by seed. It is a very late emerger in the spring and I always am sure that the latest fierce northern NY winter did it in, only to find it poking shoots up after Memorial Day. From then on, given enough rainfall it grows like, well, _a weed._ I gave some to a friend and he reported that deer ate it, but I have never seen any deer foraging on it and indeed nothing seems to eat it here.

It's common name, however, does not mean it gives you hay fever. It was used as a form of snuff. (Which makes you sneeze.)

Enj.


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## beemilk (Sep 12, 2012)

I cannot tell from the photo, but does the stem have "wings" on it? Possibly Wingstem; _Verbesina alternifolia_


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Yep, that's it, and Yep, its a weed. G


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

Verbesina alternifolia 

Wingstem or Yellow Ironweed (not closely related to purple Ironweed)

http://www.kansasnativeplants.com/guide/plant_detail.php?plnt_id=618








http://www.toadshade.com/VerbesAl_im1.html


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## BHH (May 29, 2015)

Yeah that's it Wingstem. Thanks. Those things are everywhere right now where I am and the bees are on them. The only plant in my yard that they'll bother visiting. Unlike plants I've deliberately planted haha.


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## beemilk (Sep 12, 2012)

Respectfully, I cannot agree on _Helenium autumnale_. The ray flowers on sneezeweed are three-lobed and does not have hairy stems.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

beemilk said:


> I cannot tell from the photo, but does the stem have "wings" on it? Possibly Wingstem; _Verbesina alternifolia_


That's what I was going to suggest. We have tons of it, and the bees do work it, but we've never gotten a flow off if it. It is supposed to be good forage, but I suspect nectar production is poor when conditions are dry. This is what we get instead of goldenrod.

There are two plants with this blossom. Alternafolia has alternating leaves down the stem. The other one has opposed leaves. Can't tell that detail from this picture.


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