millefolium – “thousand-leaved” in reference to the highly dissected foliage

Native range: temperate regions of N. Hemisphere in Asia, Europe; native to and naturalized in North America

Leaves:

• fern or feather-like
• pinnately dissected (bipinnate or tripinnate)
• alternate
• leaves 2-8” long

Flowers:

• inflorescence flat-topped capitulum (flower head composed of numerous tiny florets)
• ~5 ray florets – white to sometimes pink or reddish
• 5-30 disk florets, cream colored
• commonly flowers from May-July

Fruit:

• small achene-like fruits called cypsela

Other characteristics:

• one to several stems .5-3.5’ in height
• rhizomatous

Relevant info:

• perennial aromatic herb
• medicinal plant used by indigenous people for sore throats, bronchitis, cold/coughs, measles, blood purification, headaches, stomach ache, diarrhea, and a coagulant to stop bleeding
• many cultivars, including ‘Paprika’, ‘Cerise Queen’ & ‘Red Beauty’
• useful in gardens by attracting predatory insects such as wasps, which drink the nectar and then use insect pests as food for their larvae
• naturalized in North America after being introduced during European colonial period; may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed

Ecology & Adaptations:

• common and widespread
• found in dry to moist, well-drained, open sites, meadows, rocky slopes, gravel bars, roadsides, and open forest
• from sea level to 11,500’ in elevation
• prefers well-drained soil in full sun, but can tolerate other conditions
• drought tolerant – through avoidance (seasonal cycle is completed before onset of drought)
• pollination – by insects
  • food source for many species of insects such as bees and butterflies (larval host for Painted Lady butterfly)
  • also attracts birds
• vegetative reproduction – re-sprouts from fragmented rhizomes on disturbed sites
• fire tolerant – survives low intensity fire by re-sprouting from rhizomes
• seed dispersal – fluff attached to seed aids dispersal by wind