Dogfennel
Eupatorium capillifolium
Also listed as Artemisia capillifolia, Artemisia tenuifolia
Also known as Cypressweed, Bitter-weed
Climate Match for your location
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Dogfennel is a native wildflower with feathery, finely divided foliage and small yellowish flowers that bloom in late summer and fall. It thrives in dry, sandy soils and spreads readily, making it useful for naturalized areas but potentially invasive in cultivated gardens.
Why grow it
Dogfennel establishes readily in poor, sandy, or disturbed soils where many ornamental plants struggle, making it a low-input option for erosion control or quick vegetative cover in marginal areas. Its fine, feathery foliage and late-season flowers provide visual interest and nectar for pollinators during a period when many native plants have finished blooming. Unlike some aster family members, it tolerates dry conditions without supplemental irrigation once established.
Watch out for
In cultivated garden settings, dogfennel can self-seed prolifically and outcompete nearby plantings, so it benefits from deadheading or containment if you wish to limit its spread. The fine foliage can become dense and somewhat monotonous in appearance if left entirely unmanaged. In regions where it is well-adapted, regular monitoring may be needed to prevent it from dominating spaces reserved for other species.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Southeastern United States
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Dogfennel is a native wildflower with feathery, finely divided foliage and small yellowish flowers that bloom in late summer and fall. It thrives in dry, sandy soils and spreads readily, making it useful for naturalized areas but potentially invasive in cultivated gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Dogfennel grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Dogfennel establishes readily in poor, sandy, or disturbed soils where many ornamental plants struggle, making it a low-input option for erosion control or quick vegetative cover in marginal areas. Its fine, feathery foliage and late-season flowers provide visual interest and nectar for pollinators during a period when many native plants have finished blooming. Unlike some aster family members, it tolerates dry conditions without supplemental irrigation once established.
Watch out for
In cultivated garden settings, dogfennel can self-seed prolifically and outcompete nearby plantings, so it benefits from deadheading or containment if you wish to limit its spread. The fine foliage can become dense and somewhat monotonous in appearance if left entirely unmanaged. In regions where it is well-adapted, regular monitoring may be needed to prevent it from dominating spaces reserved for other species.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Southeastern United States
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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