The Tenacity of Plants

A surprise arrived late last summer or maybe early to mid-autumn. A small green mound appeared between the landscape fabric and the sidewalk, probably a weed. But it didn’t look like the typical weeds we have that late in the season, amaranth, lamb’s quarters, knotweed, burdock, plantain to list a few. The leaves were different, divided, somewhat lacey yet sturdy, also familiar. I’d seen this plant before, but since our farm is in a non-brittle environment lots of plants seem familiar that are simply weeds, a plant in the wrong place at the wrong time. It didn’t seem worth the effort to pull the little bugger out of the ground, too late in the season for it to do much damage through reproduction. Colder temperatures and desiccating winds would soon do the dirty work for me…..live and let nature take its course.

That little surprise stuck around for a long time. It remained small, no more than 6 inches tall, green and leafy and lacy, another surprise. The little bugger didn’t give up just because it was winter (although the winter seemed more Florida than Ohio.) Then came spring (summer in March, winter in April, the monsoons in May) and the surprise started to grow. Still looking very familiar, we thought we knew this plant from somewhere. But we encounter lots of plants, a succession from year to year, garden, landscape, perennials, annuals, wanted and unwanted, they all have surprises in store.

Now it’s June and the surprise has revealed itself. No longer a little bugger, the plant has grown to two feet tall, still wedged between landscape fabric and sidewalk, showing signs of wilt in the strong afternoon sun but recovering handily after the shade from a tree provides respite during the evening and stretching and waving every morning. The surprise is a secret no more now that buds are setting that will soon flower into lovely daisy-like blossoms. The bugger is Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, in the Aster family (Asteraceae).

It’s been at least ten years since we had Feverfew the last time. We haven’t had it since. In fact, where the Feverfew was growing is covered by landscape fabric so that our intentionally cultivated plants can survive against the perpetual onslaught of weedy growth. This Feverfew likely came from that long ago Feverfew, but how? How does a tiny seed survive, escape, land in a spot not too unforgiving, germinate the wrong time of year, remain green all winter, and grow to maturity? The tenacity of plants…

The beautiful feverfew this June.

The blooming daisy-like flowers of feverfew.