TELEGRAPH WEED

A member of the sunflower family, telegraph weed is a tall, hairy herb that blooms year-round along roadsides and in other open spaces in Southern California.

The plant reaches heights of 7 feet and is strongly aromatic. The odor reminds one of creosote.

Telegraph weed ( Heterotheca grandiflora ) does not have spectacular blossoms but the flowers, which grow in dense clusters near the tops of erect stems, do add splashes of color to otherwise bleak outdoor landscapes.

The flat-topped yellow flowers are small, only about an inch across. They are supported by numerous narrow, green bracts.

The flowers of camphor weed, the only other of the species Heterotheca in California, are even smaller.

Telegraph weed’s leaves grow abundantly on the stout stems. They are grayish green, oval-shaped and up to three inches long. The leaves are slightly toothed, have short white hairs on both sides and droop at night.

Telegraph weed is a common sight in coastal sage scrub, chaparral and southern oak woodland plant communities. It can be found in Southern California mountains along hiking trails and along fire breaks but only at lower elevations. It also grows in the central part of the state.

The plant was given its common name because of the long, straight stems that resemble telegraph poles.