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17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Flossflower is a garden escapee. This specimen was planted, but this is what it looks like when growing in the wild too. It grows to 60cm high. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
The flowers are 'flossy'. Stem beetroot coloured and hairy. Newly-opened flowers are red and compact. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Bracts encircling the flowers are numerous, long and tapering, in two or three layers and have beetroot-red tips. They have glandular hairs which exude a sticky substance. Everything is hairy apart from the inflorescence itself. Each of the numerous florets in this compound flower has two long projections (style branches) which are the main feature. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
The flowers are in bunches called corymbs and start off with a compact red centre which grow into long filamentous flowers which can be various colours, here into white. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Some opened flowers are pinkish white, but red to pink before the florets open. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Before the individual florets open unleashing their extended style-branches the circular row of beetroot-coloured bracts resemble eyelashes. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Each of the many florets will open and exude two long narrow style-branches. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
A short plant yet to grow taler. It already has many corymbs of flowers. Here the leaves are without their beetroot coloured edges. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
Older plants might develop leaves which have beetroot coloured edges. |
17th Sept 2017, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr Mcr. | Photo: © RWD |
The leaves with beetroot-edged short-hairy edges. Presumably plants which do not have red-coloured disc florets will also lack this beetroot-coloured edging. |
Being a member of the Dandelion & Daisy family Asteraceae many of the Flossflower species (Ageratum) contain toxic Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including houstonianum and conyzoides species. It is a neophyte native to Mexico, Central America and the Carribean. It is grown in gardens in the UK from where it only occasionally escapes. |
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houstonianum ![]() |
⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Asteraceae ![]() |
![]() Ageratum (Flossflower) |
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