Jack-in-the-Bush

Chromolaena odorata

krome-ah-LANE-ah oh-door-AY-dah

Asteraceae

Native to: North America

Florida abundance and distribution: Invasive in crop lands and neglected pastures.  Common in weedy forest margins and openings, roadsides, on well-drained soil.

Recognition:  Fairly large, woody and shrub-like, tending to lean on other plants, having long sprawling branches,  to 12’ tall. Leaves opposite, velvety-pubescent, ovate with toothed edges.  Flowers in fuzzy terminal brush-like clusters,  white to light blue with thread-like petals.   Crushed foliage with a characteristic fragrance.

Potentially confused species: Species of Eupatorium are similar but generally smaller in stature, not velvety-pubescent, usually white-flowered, and less aggressively weedy in rural areas.

Contributed by:  Nathan Hendry