Grindelia camporum Seeds | Gumweed
LATIN NAME: Grindelia camporum
COMMON NAME: Gumweed, Grindelia, Field Gumweed
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Gumweed (Grindelia camporum) is an upright, bushy, herb in the daisy family (Asteraceae), native to dry flats, alluvial washes, roadside verges and open chaparral zones across california and adjacent northern baja california. It is the sort of plant that quietly justifies the space it occupies.
Science & Biotechnology
Grindelia camporum sits in the daisy family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. The Grindelia camporum has a real and distinguished place in research. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Gumweed earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Grindelia is a tough, upright perennial of dry grasslands and roadsides of warm regions, bearing bright-yellow, daisy-like flowers with gummy buds in the summer. Its flowers feed bees and beneficial insects, and its tough, deep root helps it to survive long, dry summers, while its gummy buds give it a distinctive presence in wild garden and the meadow. To raise grindelia, sow seeds on surface of pots of sandy, open soil in a sunny, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow little plants on in the sun. Routine care after establishment is refreshingly light.
Gumweed’s sticky resinous flower heads are a traditional Western herbal remedy for coughs and poison-oak rashes, still official in some herbal pharmacopoeias.
Growing from Seed
Starting Gumweed from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. A spell of cool, moist conditions ahead of sowing brings the seed along nicely and supports even germination. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Few garden plants carry such a documented history of use as this one does. It grows as an upright, bushy, herb, so its place in the garden is easy to plan. From then on, routine care is all that is required.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Gumweed often pair it with these related subjects: