Virginia Tech Dendrology

paper-daisy Asteraceae Psilostrophe cooperi (A. Gray) Greene symbol: PSCO2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, drought deciduous, very narrow, to 4 inches long, gray-green with dense pubescence.
Flower: Species is monoecious; bright yellow flowers, daisy like, 3/4 inch across appearing singly at the tips of branches, but drying to become paper-like and persisting; appearing March through September.
Fruit: Tufted, fluffy achenes, light brown, dried flower parts are persistent after seeds have dispersed.
Twig: Young twigs are slender, round, gray-green with dense pubescence.
Bark: Reddish brown to gray-brown, developing darker scaly ridges.
Form: Dense rounded shrub often arising from a single woody "trunk" reaching up to 2 feet tall.

Additional Range Information: Psilostrophe cooperi is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information