Ageratina aromatica (Linnaeus) Spach. Common name: Small-leaved White Snakeroot, Wild-hoarhound. Phenology: Late Aug-Oct. Habitat: Woodlands and forests, usually xeric, and often fire-maintained, longleaf pine sandhills, also woodland edges. Distribution: MA, NY, and OH, south to ne. FL, Panhandle FL, and e. LA (Florida parishes).
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Two varieties have been delineated, both of them occurring in our area. Var. incisa (A. Gray) C.F. Reed is described as differing from var. aromatica in having the leaves cuneate (vs. truncate to rounded), acuminate (vs. acute), sharply toothed (vs. bluntly toothed, thin in texture (vs. thick), and the petioles slender and 0.5-2 cm long (vs. less slender and 0.1-1.5 cm). It is supposed to be Southeastern in range, from se. VA south to FL, on the Coastal Plain. The validity of this variety needs further assessment.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl7, FNA21, K4, NE, NY, Pa, Tn, Va, WH3, Clewell & Wooten (1971); = Eupatorium aromaticum L. — C, G, Oh3, RAB, SE1, Tat, W; > Ageratina aromatica (L.) Spach var. aromatica; > Ageratina aromatica (L.) Spach var. incisa (Gray) C.F.Reed; > Eupatorium aromaticum L. — S; > Eupatorium aromaticum L. var. aromaticum — F; > Eupatorium aromaticum L. var. incisum A.Gray — F; > Eupatorium latidens Small — S; Eupatorium aromaticum L. — (basionym)
Links to other floras: = Ageratina aromatica - FNA21
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of woodlands and forests, usually dry and often fire-maintained ones; also sandhills and woodland edges.
Stems: Stems simple or with loosely ascending branches above, smooth or finely hairy.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, oval to diamond-shaped, 1 1/2-3 in. long (reduced upward), blunt-toothed.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) arranged in flat- or round-topped clusters at tips of open-spreading branches; heads white, to 1/4 in. wide, consisting of about 15 disk florets surrounded by a row of 10 or more narrow, greenish bracts that are unequal in length. Protruding styles give heads a fuzzy appearance.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 1-2 1/2 ft.
plant sale text: The tight clusters of delicate yet showy fuzzy, white flowers provide a good nectar source for a variety of bees and butterflies in the late summer and into early fall. Small-leaved white snakeroot is similar to the closely related white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), however it is slightly smaller in stature with smaller leaves and flower heads. Even though the species name is aromatica, the leaves and flowers do not have much of a fragrance.
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of woodlands and forests, usually dry and often fire-maintained ones; also sandhills and woodland edges.
stems: Stems simple or with loosely ascending branches above, smooth or finely hairy.
leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, oval to diamond-shaped, 1 1/2-3 in. long (reduced upward), blunt-toothed.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) arranged in flat- or round-topped clusters at tips of open-spreading branches; heads white, to 1/4 in. wide, consisting of about 15 disk florets surrounded by a row of 10 or more narrow, greenish bracts that are unequal in length. Protruding styles give heads a fuzzy appearance.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States