Baccharis macrantha

Native to the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador, this perennial shrub or subshrub commonly grows about 6 to 10 feet tall. In Colombia, it occurs between about 5,600 and 13,450 feet. Dense cream-colored clusters contain many flower heads, each composed of numerous tiny florets. Its abundant fruits have tufts of fine hairs that aid dispersal. A sun-loving plant that colonizes disturbed ground, it is used in Colombian restoration projects to help recover degraded sites. Its aboveground growth is eaten by animals in parts of Boyacá. Photographed in Colombia.