Wildflowers and weeds:
Pineapple weed
T
here are weeds you see all the time but have no idea what they’re called. Pineapple weed is one of them. It grows in dusty spots where the earth has been disturbed. You can identify it by the small, yellow-green centre of a flower that never gets petals. Its Latin name is Matricaria discoidea and it is an annual, originally from north east Asia, but naturalized across North America. Some people believe it is also native to the Pacific Northwest, from Alaska to California. It does have a relative native to North America, from California and Oregon, called Matricaria occidentalis. They look very much alike, but M. occidentalis grows in wetlands and M. discoidea prefers it dry. As well, M. discoidea is far more fragrant, which makes it more useful. The fragrance is reminiscent of pineapple, some say, or chamomile. In fact, German chamomile is Matricaria chamomilla, from the same genus. Pineapple weed is edible. You can use the flowers in salads, and some use the greens, but only before the flowers appear. After they bloom, they become unpalatably bitter. The flower tastes, unsurprisingly, like pineapple. The plant has several purported medicinal uses, mostly the same as chamomile. It is a mild sedative and is also used to settle menstrual cramps. You can try it for stomach upset, too. As long as you aren’t allergic to it, it won’t hurt you and may help. Most people don’t mind letting it grow between the cracks, and those who do can just pull it out. As an annual, it spreads by seeding. j 8 • 2020
Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea). Issue 4
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