Canadian Fleabane, Butterweed
Erigeron canadensis

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

An annual herb. It grows to 1 m tall and spreads to 50 cm across. The stem is erect, hairy and unbranched. The leaves are one after another along the stem and are entire. The lower leaves have leaf stalks and may have teeth around the edge. The leaves are thin and narrow. They are 5 cm long. The flowers are green or pale purple. They occur in clusters at the end of the plant. The bracts around the flower heads are free of hairs. The fruit are downy.

There are about 50 Conyza species. A tea from the leaves have been used for medicine.

Where it is found

It grows in warm temperate places. It can tolerate drought and frost. It does best in a light to medium soil and an open, sunny position. It grows best in damp soils and high rainfall areas. It can grow in arid places. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan. In China it grows from sea level to 3,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Britain, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Canary Islands, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Europe, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, French Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indochina, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Is., North America (country/location of origin), Northeastern India, Norway, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Sinai, Slovenia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tibet, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Indies (country/location of origin), Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young seedlings are boiled and eaten. They are also cooked with rice. They can be dried for later use. An essential oil is used to flavour soft drinks. The ground leaves are used to flavour porridge.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Guangguangcao, Hime-mukashi-yomogi, Horse balm, Horseweed, Ingkobong, Kanadska hudoletnica, Khbos shubla, Mangch'o, Mangcho

Synonyms

Aster canadensis (L.) E. H. L. Krause; Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist; Erigeron canadensis L.; Erigeron pusillus Nutt.; Erigeron subalpinus Urb.; Leptilon pusillum (Nutt.) Britton; and others