American Burnweed, American Fireweed, Burnweed, Butterweed, Eastern Burnweed, Fireweed, Goat Chicory, Malayan Groundsel, Pilewort, Sparkle Ragwort, True Fireweed, White Fireweed

Erechtites hieraciifolius

e-REK-ti-tees  hi-er-ay-see-ih-FOH-lee-a

Synonyms of Erechtites hieraciifolius (34) (Updated on 11-30-23 from Plants of the World Online): Cineraria canadensis Walter (1788), Erechtites agrestis (Sw.) Standl. & Steyerm. (1947), Erechtites cacalioides Less. (1832), Erechtites carduifolius DC. (1838), Erechtites elongatus A.Gray (1884), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. cacalioides (Fisch. ex Spreng.) Less. ex Griseb. (1832), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. carduifolius (Desf.) Griseb. (unknown publication), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. glabrescens Kuntze (1891), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. intermedius Fernald (1917), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. megalocarpus (Fernald) Cronquist (1946), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. praealtus Fernald (1917), Erechtites hieraciifolius var. typicus Fernald (1917)(not validly publ.), Erechtites megalocarpus Fernald (1917), Erechtites praealtus Raf. (1817), Erechtites sulcatus Gardner (1848), Gynura aspera Ridl. (1923), Gynura malasica (Ridl.) Ridl. (1923), Gynura zeylanica var. malasica Ridl. (1912), Neoceis carduifolia Cass. (1825), Neoceis hieraciifolia (L.) Cass. (1825), Neoceis rigidula Cass. (1825), Ptileris hieraciifolius Raf. (1818), Senecio cacalioides Fisch. ex Spreng. (1818), Senecio carduifolius Desf. (1829), Senecio fischeri Sch.Bip. (1845), Senecio hieraciifolius L. (1753), Senecio hieraciifolius var. cacalioides M.Gómez (1890), Senecio hieraciifolius var. carduifolius M.Gómez (1890), Senecio hieraciifolius var. giganteus Raf. (1830), Senecio seminudus Bory (1819), Senecio vukotinovicii Schloss. (1881), Sonchus agrestis Sw. (1788), Sonchus brasiliensis Meyen & Walp. (1843), Sonchus occidentalis Spreng. (1821)

Erechtites hieraciifolius (L.) Raf. ex DC. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Erechtites. It was described as such by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis in 1838. He gave credit to Constantine Samuel Rafinesque for first naming and describing the species. It was first named and described as Senecio hieraciifolius by Carl Von Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753.

The genus, Erechtites Raf., was named and described by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in Flora Ludoviciana (Flora of the State of Louisiana) in 1817.

As of 11-30-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 8 species in the Erechtites genus. It is a member of the plant family Asteraceae with 1,702 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Erechtites hieraciifolius is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database for the United States and Canada is similar and includes California and Oregon. There are a lot of maps online, and many are different. It depends on where they get their data.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

I first ran across this plant in the entry to the south hayfield on September 17 in 2022. It was a small plant, and pretty much in the shade. I went back on October 1 and found a larger plant so I took more and better photos. In optimal conditions, this species can grow to 9-10 feet tall. The plant I photographed was in full sun most of the day and was around 3-4 feet tall. I think I should start carrying a tape measure…

In 2023, several plants grew along the ditch that drains from the main pond. It was a very hot and dry summer, so I guess being along the ditch was a good spot…

Erechtites hieraciifolius is a member of the plant family Asteraceae. This annual plant is found throughout Missouri. It is native to the central part of North America all the way down into much of South America. It gets one of its common names, Fireweed, from being one of the first species to re-colonize after fires. Since the name Fireweed is also used by other species, some prefer the name Pilewort… 

The species goes by several common names such as American Burnweed, American Fireweed, Burnweed, Butterweed, Eastern Burnweed, Fireweed, Goat Chicory, Malayan Groundsel, Pilewort, Sparkle Ragwort. True Fireweed, White Fireweed, and possibly others…

This species can grow from 2-8’ in ideal conditions. They grow well in light shade to full sun and prefer moist conditions with ample organic matter to retain moisture. Plants will grow in less desirable conditions and are fairly drought tolerant, but they won’t be as tall. They have been found in open woodlands, along ditches and drainage areas, pastures and fields, edges of marches and pond banks, along railroads and roadsides, and so on…

Their stems grow straight up and branch out with multiple flowering stems toward the top of the plant. Stems can be hairless (glabrous) to moderately hairy (pubescent) with spreading hairs, have green lines, and may be somewhat angled or have shallow ridges.

Leaves grow in an alternate manner and are up to 8” long and 3” across, becoming smaller as they ascend the stem. The leaves are elliptic, narrowly ovate, lanceolate, to oblanceolate, and taper to a sharply pointed tip. The leaves have either short petioles (leaf stems), are sessile (no petioles), or clasp the stem depending on their location. The margins are irregularly coarsely toothed, sometimes shallowly pinnately lobed.

Leaves are usually hairless (glaucous) but can have scattered white hairs (pubescent), mainly on the underside.

The leaves have a foul odor that discourages livestock and deer from grazing on these plants.

Upper stems terminate in panicles of flowerheads from the upper leaves.

The involucral bracts (phyllaries) surrounding the corolla are in two series. There are 9-15 inner bracts and 4-7 outer bracts. Inside the bracts are 20-45 disc (disk) florets that barely stick out at the top. The outer florets are pistillate (fertile), while the inner florets are sterile. There are no ray florets… 

Plants produce flowers from July to November (or until they get ZAPPED) and are primarily visited by several species of wasps and bees that feed on the nectar and aid in pollination. 

Once flowering is completed, the florets are replaced by short (2-3 mm) light brown achenes with white hair. The persistent involucre bracts open up and hang downward so the wind can carry the seeds away. 

Missouri Plants has been the number one website I use for identifying and confirming wildflowers on the farm and surrounding areas. It is a great site with great photos and descriptions. Click HERE to go to their page for this species. Photos are available to use for non-commercial educational purposes.

In 2024 I plan to take more and better photos. Plants growing in full sun can be tricky so I usually take photo in late afternoon or early evening (or on a cloudy day). Practice makes perfect…

There are a few more photos at the bottom of the page.

I live on a small farm in Windsor, Missouri where I enjoy gardening, collecting plants, and identifying wildflowers. The farm is in Pettis County but Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away. I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
iNATURALIST
MISSOURI PLANTS
MIDWEST WEEDS AND WILDFLOWERS
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
DAVE’S GARDEN
EAT THE WEEDS
FORAGER/CHEF (RECIPE)
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
GO BOTANY
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
VIRGINIA TECH

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂

A few more photos…