Abutilon theophrasti Medic.

Native Name

  There were no native name found for this plant.

  There are no common names for velvet leaf, but the name implies to the entire plant. The plant is velverty and soft and is completely covered with short fine hairs. 

Description

 Velvet leaf is a summer annual that reproduced by seed. It can reach up to 3 to 8 feet or it can even be taller. This can happen if grown from a stout from the main stem with upper branching. The velvet leaves have an arrangment that is alternate. Velvet leaf has heart shaped leaves on it. Usually the leaves are 2 to 5 inches wide. Also they can grow up to 10 to 12 inches across. Each leaf is pointed at the tip. Velvet leaf has flowers that are in small clusters. The flowers are found on short stalks on the upper leaves. The flowers colors range from yellow to yellow-orange and is about 3/4 inches wide. The flower has 5 sepals, 5 petals and many stamens. The seed on velvet leaf are hairy and gray-brownish color. Velvet leaf grown from a strongly developed slender whit taproot. It also has many smaller root branches. 

Habitat/Location

 Velvet leaf grows the best in rich soils of cattle yards and feed lots. Velvet leaf is a common weed of wast areas, roadsides, and cultivated fields.  It grown rapidly in the warmest parts of summer. This plant is found mostly throughout whole Nebraska except Panhandle. Also it is considered to be one of the most important weeds in Nebraska. We had found it at the powwow grounds.

Uses

 Dried stems with attached fruits occasionally used in dried floral arrangements. The seeds are eaten by mourning doves and quail.

This Page was last update: Thursday, December 21, 2006 at 1:49:36 PM
This page was originally posted: 10/31/06; 11:00:00 AM.
Copyright 2008 Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation

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