A Lovely and Useful Invasive Plant

Explanation: Is there a more lovely invasive species ... that also has some surprising uses, as well?

This is "bachelor's button," a member of the aster family that includes sunflowers, daisies, and many other species spanning a spectrum of growth forms and colors.

Bachelor's buttons are themselves surprisingly diverse in color combinations, as I discovered on a hilly hike up the Columbia River Gorge that cuts through the central boundary between Washington and Oregon states, USA.

Also known as cornflowers, bacherlor's buttons once were weeds invading agricultural fields, having been introduced long ago into the U.S. from Mediterranean Europe. Now they are found intermixed with native woodland species, found in sunny areas with rich soil and even in highly alkaline soil. Successful invaders typically can tolerate a variety of such environmental conditions.

The plant is pollinated by flies and bees, grows as an annual, and does well as an escapee in the U.S. and parts of Australia, as well. However, it might be threatened in its native distribution in Europe by extensive conversion of its natural habitats to intensive agricultural use, although the viability status of the species in Europe is yet to be fully determined.

But here's the surprising part. According to Plants For A Future, this invasive, this exotic, this non-native has some very surprising practical values and uses.

For one, the young shoots and flowers, especially the young florets, are edible as a vegetable or garnish.

A blue dye is obtained from the flowers. And the dye itself is also edible, used to color sugar and confections.

And the plant has been used for a long time as a medicinal, as well, to treat tired (blue) eyes, it is said. And an infusion of the flowers has reportedly been used to treat a diversity of ailments and conditions including dropsy, constipation, poor digestion, bleeding gums, ulcers, and more.

So, enjoy the beauty of this "immigrant" plant, and its unexpected usages!

Acknowledgments:
My thanks to Claire Puchy for guiding me to this site near Mosier, Oregon, and pointing out many of the wonderful features along the trail.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week