Herb Camp Day 2 — Botany

Asteraceae
Plants of the Aster or Sunflower Family

Look closely at a blooming sunflower. You’ll see there are hundreds of little flowers growing on a disk, each producing just one seed. Each “disk flower” has 5 tiny petals fused together, plus 5 stamens fused around a pistil with antennae-like stigmas. Look closely at the big “petals” that ring the outside of the flower head, and you will see that each petal is also a flower, called a “ray flower,” with it’s petals fused together and hanging to one side. Plants of the Aster family will have either disk flowers, ray flowers, or both.

The Asters are the largest family of flowering plants in the northern latitudes, with 920 genera and 19,000 species found worldwide, including 346 genera and 2,687 species in the U.S. and Canada.

Some asters family plants you might be growing in your garden include:

• Calendula (Calendula spp)
• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus )
• Aster (Aster amellus)
• Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
• Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
• Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

This plant family has many members with strong economic importance.

Identifying Characteristics of Asteraceae family plants:

• Plants of the asteraceae family are “composites” of many small flowers in a disk-like head.
• Each disk flower has 2 stigmas, 5 stamens fused around a pistil, 5 petals fused together, sapals, ovary.
• Each seed is produced by a single tiny flower.
• Stem is straight, some are branching
• These plants are normally rich in both nectar and pollen and useful for honeybees.
• This family is also known as Daisy family.
• It includes the plants that are normally cultivated for ornamental flowers as well as for oil and food.
• Many members of this family are annual flowers.

Herbal Skills

• Botany
• Plant ID

Action:

Understand the characteristics of the asteraceae plant family.  In the comments below list 5 plants growing in your area or your own garden that are asteraceae plants.

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