Thimbleweed is a graceful, interesting native Ozark plant that grows along forest edges (also native to many other areas of the eastern United States). It is most often found in the dappled shade of liminal spaces between forest and clearing.
Before sending up flower stalks, the plant is only about a foot tall.
The long slender flower stalks add an extra foot or two in total height. The stalks sway in the breezes, giving it one of its other common names, “windflower”.
During the heat of July while out scouting for rocks – yes, rocks. I scout for plants, habitats AND rocks regularly. Anyway, I spied the bristly elongated cones of Thimbleweed. Of course I had to zip back up to the house because I generally don’t carry along the camera while dealing with rocks.
Last year in late January I noticed the seed fluff getting ready to take flight. Of course I gathered some of the seedheads. In the course of my gathering, many were naturally released onto the breeze to reseed elsewhere, so no danger of over harvesting seeds from this one.
Thimbleweed is another one of my favorite plants (I have quite a few “favorites”, haha) of the Ozarks. I didn’t get the seeds I’d gathered sown this spring but I’ll try again next year. If successful, I’ll have some of these graceful beauties to offer at the market booth and nursery.
Here’s a few links to pages with more information about Thimbleweed.
It has a history of medicinal use, but I’d enjoy this plant just because of its unique appearance.
It stands out in a crowds of weedy growth and I like that about it. That’s what I’m trying to do as a writer and blogger in a sea of other writers and bloggers, so we have something in common.
It’s a plant that should be easy enough to propagate, so hopefully it will also one day grace the “Plants” category in our online store. I should be able to begin offering plants by mail in a few months.
This morning I walked through the nursery area to fulfill the last of the 2024…
This year started out with low inventory because I didn't get a chance to plant…
The ginseng is beginning to unfurl. Some are already unfurled, mostly the yearlings. Goldenseal in…
The woods are still wrapped in the relative peace of winter around here at Wild…
PARCHED. If I wanted to dig any roots right now, I'd have a heckuva time…
The weather forecast calls for possible tennis ball hail tonight, so I figured I'd better…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
It's actually a sweet little plant but does the weed part of the name mean it's invasive? Would this just be cultivated for it's herbal usages.
xxx Hugs Madison xxx
Hi David,
I don't think it's invasive. This is only the second or third plant of its kind that I've seen out here at Wild Ozark in the almost ten years I've been here. When I've found it elsewhere in the area, it's never very plentiful. However, that's not to say it won't love your own garden so much that it decides to go forth and multiply a lot more, lol. I actually don't use this one medicinally. I just like the way it looks - the tall flower stems and interesting cones after the petals fall make a nice backdrop for other, shorter plants if you're planting a hedgerow flower bed and they're nice native plants to the area here (east/southeastern US) for folks who want to stick with native plants for woodland or light shade gardens.
Thanks for dropping in and asking a great question!
My mind thought it said "tumbleweed", so I was a bit surprised. Had to look again. :-) I like the way these look, too.
janet
Lol, I'm always thinking "tumbleweed" too!