Pennsylvania pellitory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pennsylvania pellitory |
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Parietaria
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P. pensylvanica
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| Parietaria pensylvanica Willd.
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Parietaria pensylvanica, often called Pennsylvania pellitory, is a type of flowering plant. It is part of the nettle family. This plant grows naturally across much of North America. You can find it in almost every province in Canada, except for the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador. It also grows in the Yukon Territory. In the United States, it is found in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. It also grows in northern Mexico.
About Pennsylvania Pellitory
This plant is an annual herb. This means it completes its whole life cycle in one year. It grows from a seed, flowers, makes new seeds, and then dies. It can grow either lying down on the ground or standing straight up. It usually reaches a height of about half a meter, which is about 20 inches tall.
Where It Grows
Pennsylvania pellitory likes soils that are not too acidic or too basic. These are called "circumneutral" or "basic" soils. You can often find it in natural places like rocky cliffs that have calcium in them. It also grows in rich floodplains, which are flat lands near rivers that get flooded. This plant can also be found in areas that have been disturbed by people. This includes places like roadsides or empty lots.
What It Looks Like
The leaves of the Pennsylvania pellitory grow one after another along the stem. They are shaped like a spear or an oval. Each leaf has a pointed tip. They can be up to 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) long.
Flowers and Seeds
The plant's flowers grow in clusters. These clusters appear where the leaves meet the stem. The flowers do not have petals. Instead, they have tiny, pointed, reddish-brown parts called sepals. These sepals protect the flower bud.
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Detail of inflorescence
