Peruvian daisy or shaggy soldier is a summer annual weed in the Aster family that is native to South America and central Mexico and has naturalized in many parts of the world. It grows either erect or sprawling and varies in appearance depending on where it is growing. This weed is commonly found in agricultural fields, container-grown ornamentals, landscape planting beds, lawns, gardens, and other disturbed areas. It generally has a 2-10 inch coarsely hairy stem and small flowers with 4-8 but generally 5 white rays surrounding the center yellow disc flowers. The ovate leaves are toothed and usually hairy. This plant grows quickly in warm weather and can reseed aggressively, quickly forming colonies. It prefers full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and fertile loam or clay loam with high levels of nitrogen. Control is by hand pulling, preventing it from going to seed, mulching and herbicides if desired. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Weedy
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Prostrate
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The green leaves are spare to densely hairy, up to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. The base is either rounded or tapered and the tip is acute. The 3 veins are distinct and originate at the base. The margins are toothed. The lower leaves have stems and the upper leaves are stemless.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The 1/4 inch flowers usually have 5 white ray petals that surround the bright yellow disc flowers. They grow from the upper leaf axils and tips. The petals are notched in 3 parts. The base of each flower head has scale-like green oval bracts.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Achenes are formed by both the ray and disc florets. The seed has 5 or more narrow scales with fringed edges that are attached at the tip and an awn at the tip.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green stems are hairy and multi-branched
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Mexico to S. Tropical America
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
Leaves are eating is salads in some parts of the world.