Teaweed Sida spinosa
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Sida alba
- Sida alnifolia
- Sida angustifolia
- Sida heterocarpa
- Sida spinosa var. angustifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEE-duh spy-NO-suh
- Description
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Prickly sida is a summer annual weed in the mallow family (Malvaceae) and is considered a weed of crops, pastures, roadsides and other disturbed areas. It is native to South and Central America, the Southwestern United States, Africa and Asia.
Prickly sida prefers full sun to partial shade in moist fertile soils and will grow 1 to 3 feet tall.
It produces small 1/3 inch yellow or light orange flowers on short stalks that are produced in the leaf axils and terminal branches. Blunt green spines are located below the petioles of the lower leaves. There is a shallow taproot that is divided into secondary roots. The plant will ready self seed and seeds are quick to germinate.
Mowing, solarization and shallow tilling can help control the weed among crops.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: It is susceptible to problems that other mallows experience such as pink bollworm, green peach aphid and calligrapha beetle. Diseases include sclerotinia blight, fusarium wilt/canker, diaporthe seed decay and cotton leafroll dwarf virus.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sida
- Species:
- spinosa
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Native to North America, Central America, South America
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, AZ, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Attractive to a variety of bees, birds, and butterflies. The leaves are eaten by some mammals.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Schizocarp
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Each flower will be replaced by a reddish-brown circular seedpod that is segmented into 5 parts. Each segment contains 1 seed.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Spike
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Light yellow or light orange 1/3 inch flowers with 5 petals with a united column of 5 styles and numerous stamens. They are on short stems and appear in the leaf axils or terminal branches. Blooms mid summer to early fall.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Some of the lower leaves have a blunt spine below the base of their petioles. Leaves are 1 to 3 inches long, ovate to ovate-oblong with rounded to truncate or shallowly cordate bases and toothed margins. Fine, star-shaped hairs are present on both surfaces.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Erect stems with fine white hairs.
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Weedy
