Slender cudweed facts for kids

Gnaphalium exilifolium, also known as the slender cudweed, is a type of plant. It grows naturally in the western part of the United States and the northern part of Mexico. This plant is known for its fuzzy, whitish look.

Discovering Slender Cudweed

Where Slender Cudweed Lives

This plant likes to grow in hilly and mountainous areas. You can find it in places like the Black Hills and the Rocky Mountains. It also lives in states such as Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico in the U.S. In Mexico, it grows in the state of Chihuahua.

Slender cudweed prefers wet places. It often grows near lake shores or along the banks of streams. You can also spot it in moist meadows. It grows at elevations between 1,400 and 3,000 meters (about 4,600 to 9,800 feet) above sea level.

What Slender Cudweed Looks Like

Gnaphalium exilifolium is an annual herb. This means it completes its entire life cycle in one year. It has several stems that grow upright or slightly angled upwards.

The stems, leaves, and special leaf-like parts called phyllaries are covered in thick, woolly hairs. These hairs make the whole plant look whitish. Its leaves are long and narrow, growing up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long.

The plant's flowers grow in tight bunches. These bunches are called glomerules. They are found along the upper parts of the stems.