How to ID and use fleabane, the un-killable weed.
For this week’s weed-of-the-week I collaborated for the research with fellow edible weeds nerds at Edible weeds, wild plants and foraging Australia Facebook group.
The group is an amazing resource for anyone on this continent wanting to know more about the spontaneous flora around them, how to identify and use it.
I recommend anyone to join as the discussion and the level of expertise is always excellent.
Fleabane
I must admit I have a soft spot for this plant. It is not a great edible, nor potent medicinal plant. It does not have much use for human endeavours, apart from extracting essential oils for the confectionery industry and some respect from survivalists. What it does have, however, is one of the most important qualities a botanical species can have today: it is defiant, un-killable and a superb pioneer species. Long live the weeds.
How To ID fleabane.
Fleabane is a tricky one to identify and research. First of all the plant in the fleabane genus -Erigeron- are contested, as many countries still use a different scientific name for them: Conyza. The general consensus here in Australia is that the Erigeron genus also incorporates the more specific fleabane genus Conyza.
There are about 30 reported Conyza species in Australasia, but when you dig down you find out that many of them are synonyms (same plant, different name) and many others are not actually true Conyza species. So, for the purpose of writing some clarity on weedy fleabane I state the following:
Of the 30-something listed species of Conyza in Australasia:
3 have never been found
2 are wrongly named
7 have been recorded in very small numbers and confined to the far tropics (Darwin and PNG)
A further 8 have been recorded a total of 150 times, but only in the tropics above Brisbane, and do not look like the Fleabane we are talking about here (different leaf structure, different flowers).
2 have a wide distribution and a high number of recordings by botanists (6,000 records each) but do not look like Fleabane: Conyza cinerea has purple flowers while Conyza squamatus’ leaves are smooth and hairless.
Which leaves us with the fact that if you live anywhere from south-eastern Queensland to Adelaide or around Perth, chances are that the fleabane you are looking at is one of these five:
Short in stature (about 70cm tall) would probably be Conyza bonariensis unless you live in metropolitan Melbourne or Brisbane in which case it could be Conyza primulifolius.
Medium height to 1,2 meters Conyza Canadensis –Canadian fleabane.
Tall, about two meters at maturity: native Conyza sumatrensis (twisted leaves, brown/cream flowers) or Conyza bilbaoana (less likely)
Conyza primulifolius and its 4 namesakes> Interesting plant, only found in metropolitan Brisbane and metropolitan Melbourne. A short one, about 70-80cm tall, highly urbanised and invasive in disturbed and degraded soils (concrete cracks). Although only located about 150 times, there is prospect that this plant will spread much wider in the coming years, see this map for details.
Conyza bonariensis and its other namesake. Found all over Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide, from Sydney to Perth with over 14,000 records registered here>.
Easily distinguished from the other common weedy fleabanes by its narrow leaves, usually twisted with wavy or undulate margins and by its larger flower heads. This plant grows to about 70cm tall.
Conyza canadensis and its namesakes. Found in substantial numbers in all states where there is consistent rainfall. Recorded in about 1800 different locations. This is the Fleabane that we know the most about, lots of literature of human use and naturalised all over the world. It grows to 120cm tall. See below for more information.
Conyza sumatrensis. Recorded 12,500 times around Australia, it grows to 2 meters in height with brown/cream flowers.
This member of the fleabane genus is actually a native to south-western NSW, but by now naturalised all over the continent.
Conyza bilbaoanus, found on the South East of Australia. Easily distinguished by its height, reaching 2 meters at full maturity. Only found in 250 locations so not very widespread.
Can you eat fleabane?
We only have knowledge of one fleabanes edibility, the medium stature Canadian fleabane (C. canadensis), coming from ethnobotanical knowledge of its native range, North America, where it was recorded in 1933 that the Miwok First Nations used it as a vegetable.
It is now used for food and recommended by various people, like Green Deane, see the video here, and I can testify myself that it is not bad. It is the kind of vegetable that you want to use sparingly as it is highly aromatic, but as a herb is perfect to add some flavour to soups, omelettes or even oven dried and added as dry flakes to your salt. It is likely you have already eaten extract from this plant as it is cultivated commercially and its essential oils used to flavour candies and sodas.
WARNING: Canadian fleabane has been used traditionally for menstrual disorders. It is advised not to consume this plant if pregnant. See here and here for more information.
Fleabane as medicine
The information we have for fleabane as medicine relates to Canadian fleabane (the medium stature one).
In traditional North American herbal medicine, Canadian fleabane was boiled to make steam for sweat lodges, taken as a snuff to stimulate sneezing during the course of a cold and burned to create a smoke that warded off insects. Nowadays it is valued most for its astringency, being used in the treatment of gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea and dysentery. It can be harvested at any time it is in flower and is best used when fresh. The dried herb should not be stored for more than a year. An infusion of the plant has been used to treat internal haemorrhages or applied externally to treat gonorrhoea and bleeding piles. It is a uterine stimulant and is also said to be valuable in the treatment of inflamed tonsils plus ulceration and inflammation of the throat. A bath for dogs with the fresh plant pounded has been used as a remedy for fleas and irritations.
More traditional uses include:
Blackfoot Drug, Antihemorrhagic
The plant is used for childbirth hemorrhage.
Chippewa Drug, Analgesic
A decoction of root and leaves is taken for stomach pain.
Hawaiian Drug, Antirheumatic (External)
Leaves and other plant parts are pounded and resulting liquid applied to sore joints.
Hopi Drug, Analgesic
A poultice of rubbed plant applied to temples for headache.
Iroquois Drug, Anticonvulsive
Infusion of the whole plant and roots from another plant used for children with convulsions and fevers.
Keres, Western Drug, Burn Dressing
The crushed plant rubbed on sunburns.
Navajo, Kayenta Drug, Ear Medicine
A hot poultice of the plant applied for earaches.
Seminole Drug, Cold Remedy
Infusion of leaves and bark taken and steam inhaled for runny nose, stuffy head and sore throat.
Zuni Drug, Respiratory Aid
Crushed flowers inserted in nostrils to cause sneezing, relieving 'rhinitis.'
Image by Quora https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-process-to-start-a-fire-in-the-woods
Other uses
As the name suggests, fleabane has been used as an insect repellant in folklore all over the world, from Europe to America. Old stories abound of the common weed being used in animal beddings and also human sleeping quarters where bunches of the plant were hung at the foot of the bed to keep bed bugs away.
One well-recorded use is as a fire stick, in hand drill methods for friction fire techniques. You collect a dry stalk, remove the leaves and roll it in your hands over a piece of wood. This video will show you how to do it.
A surprising ability of this plant is passed onto us from the Seminole people of Florida, who rubbed this plant on the body to rid themselves of an unwanted wife. See here.
Fleabane the un-killable.
Fleabane is also most famous for being very problematic for monocultural farmers and it is now declared a super-weed. The reason for this is because this plant has now developed ways to survive herbicides like round-up (glyphosate) and in doing so it creates lots of grief for monocultural farmers. See here for details>
Some of the most affected by this super-weed, are the now-defunct multi-national corporation Monsanto who, with their propaganda pushing for farmers to grow genetically modified crops in order to achieve ‘perfect yields’, found themselves with some weeds that resist the heavy use of herbicides ( glyphosate and more) to undermine the advertised returns.
Farmers pay lots of money to grow genetically modified crops, and when they saw their returns not being met they started to question the merchant and sued Monsanto for false advertising. See this article for some information on this.
Fleabane is one of the main warriors that is resisting herbicides. See here for the details of native Conyza sumatrensis ( tall fleabane). Good on ya superweed fleabane.
Reference.
Native American Ethnobotany> http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=conyza
Weed Science> http://weedscience.org/details/case.aspx?ResistID=5648
Plant for a Future> https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Conyza+canadensis
Atlas of Living Australia> https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=conyza&fq=rank:%22species%22
Vicflora> https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/ce01f286-fb0d-4a97-9007-4295c37065b8
Wikipedia> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conyza_sumatrensis
Disclaimer: This information should be used as a guide only. It is not my intention to advise anyone on medical conditions, rather I'm just presenting a new way to look at the plants growing in your yard.
Yay for weeds.
This article is an extract form the upcoming publication Eat Weeds, due to be released by Thames&Hudson Australia in early 2022.
The publication has been supported by the City of Sydney via its Creative Fellowship Fund.