Backyard Weeds

Here are thirteen wildflower/weeds I found in a quick look around my Satellite Beach backyard and along the ditch behind our home. Most of them will be familiar to you. Four are members of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.

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East coast dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis, Asteraceae)

Native

Large patches grow along the ditch banks. We use it as a low-maintenance ground cover around part of our pool deck.

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Sandbur (Cenchrus spp., Poaceae)

Native

A large, coarse sandbur; few, long stems ending in burs; possibly Cenchrus gracilis, slender sandbur.

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Corkystem passionflower (Passiflora suberosa, Passifloraceae)

Native

This vine grows on our chainlink fence.

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Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta, Commelinaceae)

Native

Stems round along the ground. One of the prettiest "weeds." Seeds eaten by doves and songbirds, according to W.K. Taylor.

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Dwarf Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis var. pusilla, Asteraceae)

Native

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Mascarene Island leafflower (Phyllanthus tenellus, Phyllanthaceae)

Not native

This weed pops up in bare places along our roof drip line. A new species for me. Tiny, star-shaped, greenish-white flowers grow along the compound leaves. Native to Africa and the Mascarene Islands. A weed of greenhouses and container ornamentals. W.K.Taylor shows this as belonging to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. I assume the USF/ISB designation of Phyllanthaceae is the currently accepted family.

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Painted leaf, fire-on-the-mountain (Poinsettia cyathophora, Euphorbiaceae)

Native

Also known as wild poinsettia.

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Little hogweed (Portulaca oleracea, Portulacaceae)

Not native

Commonly known in the U.S. as purslane or pusley. Can be eaten as a nutritious leaf vegetable. It has a slightly sour and salty taste. Can be used as a salad, stir-fried, or cooked like spinach.

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Beggarticks, Spanish needles (Bidens alba, Asteraceae)

Native

The bizarre, spiny insect on the blossom is a plume moth.

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Red spiderling, wineflower (Boerhavia diffusa, Nyctaginaceae)

Native

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Graceful sandmat (Chamaesyce hypericifolia, Euphorbiaceae)

Native

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Hyssopleaf sandmat (Chamaesyce hyssopifolia, Euphorbiaceae)

Native

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Tread-softly, finger-rot, stinging nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus, Euphorbiaceae)
Native

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