Cotton Fireweed

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Cotton Fireweed - Colleen Miller | Cotton Fireweed - Gary Clark

Senecio quadridentatus

Erect slender herb mostly 40-100 cm tall. Leaves narrow, 5-12 cm long and light grey-whitish in colour. Yellow or yellow-green flowerheads are small and narrow, held in clusters at the end of stalks.

Details
Flora Type
Herbs
Distinctive Features

This plant is very light coloured and appears cottony woolly. Tight flowerheads with seedheads to 1 cm long.
Biology

Annual or short-lived perennial. The name fireweed refers to the large stands of this plant that often establish after fire. Seeds dispersed by wind and germinate mainly in autumn, with growth mainly in winter. Often dies off over summer to a rootstock which reshoots in autumn.
Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Flowers spring-autumn
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Asterales
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Senecio
Species
quadridentatus

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Toxic to cattle, horses, sheep and pigs, causing liver damage.

Interesting Facts
Native Status
Native