(sticky snakeroot)
Ageratina adenophora
Member of
snakeroots (genus Ageratina)
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
white in flowering plants
There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.
Another species in the genus, Ageratina altissima, causes milk sickness when dairy animals eat the plant and the toxin accumulates in the milk. Before the cause was determined, this killed thousands of midwesterners in the early 1800’s, including Nancy Lincoln, mother of Abraham Lincoln.[source] It is unclear to me whether other species are incapable of the same feat, or if modern grazing care simply prevent them from having the opportunity.
Toxicity of snakeweed (Eupatorium adenophorum):
3 – Ingestion of these plants is expected to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms that may cause illness but is not life-threatening.
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Chris’s observations: 6 (all are research grade)
Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – CalPhotos – Jepson eFlora – FNA
Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora