Great Valley Gumweed (Grindelia robusta) seeds

Gumweed is an old medicinal plant of the North American natives. They traditionally use extracts from the roots of this beautiful wildflower against liver trouble. In Western medicine, on the contrary, gumweed is only known as a homeopathic substance.

The Great Valley gumweed is also only little known as a flower for the shrub garden. It is a very beautiful, perennial shrub which really blooms consistently from the end of May to October. As a member of the composite family, the plant has very large, bright yellow blossoms, which constitutes a very good source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other insects. Who wants to do something for the insects, should integrate the Great Valley gumweed into their garden.

The little attractive name ‘gumweed’, by the way, goes back to the fact that the buds are coated with sticky resin. Thereby, it is well-protected against dehydration. It also especially loves dry locations and can be used very well for a stone garden. Waterlogging is probably the only thing that could get dangerous for this robust plant. Furthermore, a strong wind can be dangerous because its stems fold over easily.