One of our mistflowers

Click for greater clarity.

From late October into November this year, the Ageratina havanensis in Austin got passionate about putting out flowers. This close floral view of the bush that is called mistflower, shrubby boneset, and Havana snakeroot comes from northwest Austin on November 4.

In the United States Ageratina havanensis apparently grows only in Texas, with Austin being on the far eastern edge of its range; at least that’s what the USDA map shows. The species name havanensis implies that this plant was first identified in Cuba, and it grows natively in Mexico as well, so this is one of those cases where Texas provides the northernmost habitat for a tropical or at least subtropical species.

As for the title of today’s post, let me add that people have given various plants in the genera Eupatorium, Ageratina, and Conoclinium the common name mistflower.

© 2012 Steven Schwartzman