It is August in Kansas and up pops the Curly-top Gumweed, a bright yellow flower with multiple heads on a single stalk.
The common name, Curly-top Gumweed, comes from the curling flower bracts that top the heads and the sap. The plants are found singly and in clumps in fields and along paths. They are drought resistant with roots that grow to six feet in depth.
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| Flowering bud of Curly-top Gumweed |
The tribes of the Great Plains used this plant to treat coughs, colds, and stomachaches. Then for good measure, it cures snow-blindness, and acts a soothing balm for saddle sores.
KansasWildflowers.org
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| Curl-top Gumweed |
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