Parthenium integrifolium

Common Names

Wild Quinine, American Feverfew, Eastern Feverfew

Summary

Parthenium integrifolium, commonly called Wild Quinine or American feverfew, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae that grows about 30 to 60 to 100 cm tall from a tuberous thickened short root and forms a clump with erect stems. It bears large, aromatic basal leaves oval to lanceolate, with crenate to serrate margins, up to about 35 cm long and 12 cm wide; upper leaves are smaller and often sessile. The inflorescence is radiate heads in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays with five white ray florets and numerous disk florets, producing white flower heads from May to September. The plant's surface is glabrous to loosely pubescent and often gland-dotted, and habitats include prairies, glades, dry woods, barrens, and disturbed sites across a broad eastern and central United States range. Full sun to light shade and well-drained soils, from sandy to loamy, suit Parthenium integrifolium, with tolerance for dry to moist conditions and drought; hardiness in zones 4 to 8; low maintenance with no serious pest or disease problems. Propagation is easy by seed, with fall or spring sowing after stratification, and self-sowing occurs prolifically, making mass plantings for prairie restorations, native meadows, and borders practical; cut or dried flower use is feasible due to long-lasting white heads. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are attracted, and the plant is deer and rabbit resistant.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

24-48 inches

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun, tolerates Partial Sun or Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring through Fall

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators