Ageratum houstonianum
Mill.
Asteraceae
Ageratum conyzoides mexicanum (Sims) DC.
Ageratum mexicanum Sims
Ageratum pinetorum (L.O.Williams) R.M.King & H.Rob
Ageratum wendlandii Vilm.
Alomia pinetorum L.O.Williams.
Carelia houstoniana (Mill.) Kuntze
Common Name: Ageratum
General Information
Ageratum is a usually erect, and often much-branched, annual plant growing 30 - 100cm tall.
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. Very ornamental, it is often grown in gardens[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
C. America, north to south-western N. America - Mexico; Caribbean.
Habitat
Pine woods and cultivated ground[
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Disturbed sites, mainly coastal[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]. Locally common in fields, roadsides and waste places at elevations up to 1,700 metres[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.40 m |
| Pollinators | Lepidoptera |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Grows well in ordinary garden soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Requires a sheltered position in full sun[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Often grown as an ornamental, the plant has escaped from cultivation and become naturalised in many areas[
].
The flowers are very attractive to butterflies[
30- Title
- Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Carter D.
- Publisher
- Pan
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0-330-26642-x
- Description
- An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.
].
The removal of dead flowers will extend the flowering season.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The juice of the plant is used externally to treat cuts and wounds[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
Other Uses
The plant yields an insecticide[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Propagation
Seed - surface sow. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 20°c[
133- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rice. G. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out and plant them when large enough.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
