Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
alpine shootingstar , Jewelled shootingstar , Sierran shootingstar , broad-leaved shootingstar , Frigid Shootingstar
Number of Varieties
117
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shrublands, tropical grasslands
Floodplains, open Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
White, Pink, Salmon, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Green, Tan
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Red, Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Burgundy
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Ovate elongated
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pest Free
Aphids, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Runny nose, sneezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Mixed Border, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
-
Other Uses
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
CLERODENDRUM quadriloculare
Common Name
Mexican Tea
American cowslip , mosquito bills , mad violets , sailor caps
In Hindi
Dysphania ambrosioides
shooting star
In German
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
shooting star
In French
Épazote
Dodecatheon
In Spanish
Dysphania ambrosioides
Dodecatheon
In Greek
Μεξικού τσάι
shooting star
In Portuguese
Dysphania ambrosioides
Dodecatheon
In Polish
Komosa piżmowa
shooting star
In Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides
shooting star
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Primulales
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Verbenaceae
Genus
Dysphania
Dodecatheon
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Dysphanieae
-
Subfamily
Chenopodioideae
-
Number of Species
3017
1
27800
👆🏻