Thickhead

Family: Asteraceae
Scientific name: Crassocephalum crepidioides
Description: Plant Form: Erect annual herb. Size: Up to 1 m tall. Stem: Stout, pithy, green, ribbed, with short thick hairs. Leaves: In spiral, 10-20 cm long, variable shape, often with deep lobes. Often with somewhat serrated edges. Larger towards bottom. Midrib is usually purple on top side. Flowers: Orange, reddish or purplish cylindrical heads of over 100 florets surrounded by bracts. Without petals. Drooping when young but becoming upright as seeds mature. Fruit and Seeds: Slender, with longitudinally alternating dark red ridges and brown grooves, with short white hairs in the grooves. Topped with white parachuting hairs which fall off. Habitat: Parks, wetlands, waste areas, roadsides, cropping areas, old gardens. Distinguishing Features: Could be confused with Lilac tasselflower (Emilia sonchifolia) but is generally much larger and has drooping rather than upright flowers. Weed Status: Priority Weed Weed Type: Agricultural, Common Lifeform: Herbaceous

Example images for this weed