Question 9

Is it unappealing for some aesthetic reason?

A. Is it untidy looking?

Some weeds look as ungainly as a pre-teen surprised to be caught in the midst of a growth spurt and recent hormonal changes. Weeds do grow so rapidly. Many plants simply look so messy or make a garden look so overgrown that they qualify for weedy status.

Mature Horseweed, Conyza canadensis, looks really disheveled—like a tangled horse’s mane. As its name suggests, it does resemble a big, brushy horse’s tail when in bloom. Many closely related Erigeron or Fleabanes in its Composite family feature showy flowers that look daisy fresh, but not the gangly, shaggy, tiny-flowered Horseweed. While it can reach 10’ tall with leaves that grow 4” x 1.3”, its leaves turn brown and shrivel before it reaches its full height and its flowers grow to a barely visible 0.125” and only open half-way—distinctly awkward and non-ornamental.