Bitterweed

Bitterweed

Bitterweed is a yellow-flowered annual found in the semiarid rangelands of the Southwest. Varying in height from a few centimeters to a few feet tall, the plant is erect and branches from the base. Bitterweed is a member of the sunflower family. It has an extremely bitter taste and is unpalatable to livestock, but unfortunately, sheep love it. Bitterweed contains a toxin that increases in strength with the maturity of the plant or when the plant is drought stressed. Maximum plant growth occurs in early spring and early summer, but bitterweed seedlings may be found any time of the year.

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