Asteraceae

Ageratum conyzoides

Common Names: Billygoat weed

Plant Form: Erect annual herb. Size: Up to 1 m tall. Stem: Covered in fine white hairs, becoming woody towards base with age. Leaves: Bright green, egg-shaped, up to 8 cm long with entire margins. Sparsely hairy on both sides. Flowers: Purple, pinkish or bluish, in dense clustered flowerheads of 30-50 flowers with pom-pom like appearance and sparsely hairy bracts. Fruit and Seeds: Ribbed or angled and black, with 5 or 6 rough whitish bristles. Habitat: Disturbed areas, old gardens, waste areas, pastures, waterways, wetlands. Distinguishing Features: Distinguished from very similar Blue billygoat weed (Ageratum houstonianum) by having fewer sticky hairs on flower bracts. Praxelis (Praxelis clematidea) flowers have a similar appearance but has toothed rather than entire leaves.