Dogweed

Dyssodia papposa

Found in prairies, disturbed areas, highway medians and road shoulders, roadsides; eastward also as a waif near wool-combing mills. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 4–16 inches
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to wet

Dyssodia papposa — bloom photograph — Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Bloom: July to October

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 4 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Barrens grassland after a prescribed fire. Shown: Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, a neighboring state.Barrens native plants returning after prescribed fire, September 2020, NPS Photo / Rick Olson, September 2020. Public domain. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Dyssodia

Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Asteraceae
Flower color: Orange or yellow

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “July to October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Orange or yellow” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Height · “4–16 inches” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Life cycle · “Annual” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Light · “Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Dog Weed; Fetid Marigold

Conservation status

Virginia rank	Not available
Global rank	Not available
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source

Native alternatives

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