Family Index

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Scientific Name

Senecio minimus

Family Name

ASTERACEAE (COMPOSITAE)

Common Name

Fireweed

Status

Height

0.2m - 1.2m (20-120cm)

Flowers

Florets yellow, slightly longer than phyllaries and about twice as numerous.

Fruit

Achenes

Form

Branching herb with erect leafy flowering stems which are striate, often purplish.

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Brighton; Burnie; Central Coast; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Devonport; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Huon Valley; Kentish; King Island; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands; Tasman; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast; West Tamar

Communities

Wet Eucalypt Forest

Habitat Notes

Widespread and locally abundant especially in moist shaded places and clearings in areas of moderately high rainfall.

Site Tolerance

Moist; Shady

Frost Tolerance

Soil Tolerance

Fertile; Loam; Phosphorous intolerant; Well-drained

General Notes

Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Achenes brown or reddish-brown.seedheads become fluffy and come away from heads easily when mature. colle ct heads into paper bags and allow to dry. rub on fine wire screens or break up by hand. sieve to clean

Seed Treatment Method

Standard

Seed Storage Life

Short

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Surface sow or lightly cover. Seedlings may be prone to damping off so the use of capillary watering may be helpful. Some species lose viability quickly and many species are best sown when daily temperatures are around 15-20oC.

Germination Time

2-5 weeks

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes

May also be grown from cuttings.