Gumweed (Grindelia): Growing a North American Herb with Yellow Flowers

In brief: Gumweed (Grindelia) is a North American herb of the daisy family with yellow flowers and strikingly sticky buds, from which it gets its English name "gumweed". In the garden it likes well-drained but regularly watered soil in a sunny to partially shaded spot.

Gumweed is one of the lesser-known ornamental herbs that catches the eye in a bed mainly with its unusually sticky buds, from which yellow, daisy-like flowers gradually unfold. It is a genus originating in the Americas, grown here rather marginally, yet it is worth trying in a sunny bed or rock garden.

What gumweed looks like

Gumweed is a perennial or biennial herb with an upright, branched stem and yellow flowers resembling a smaller sunflower or ox-eye daisy. A typical identifying feature is the sticky, resinous buds, thanks to which the genus is called "gumweed" in English, that is, a resinous weed. The flowers appear in summer and bloom for a long time, which makes the plant an interesting, long-flowering element of a mixed bed.

Where gumweed comes from

The genus Grindelia comes from the Americas, where the individual species occur from South America through Mexico to the west of North America; some species later became naturalised in the eastern part of North America and in Europe. In its native environment it often grows in open, sunny places, including coastal scrubby areas.

Position, soil and watering in the garden

In the garden gumweed likes well-drained soil in a sunny to partially shaded spot, with rather generous watering, not drought. Although the plant has a reputation as an undemanding, drought-loving herb, a regular supply of moisture benefits it more than long-term drought, especially during intensive flowering, when water consumption rises. Drainage of the substrate is nevertheless important, so that water does not stand at the roots and cause rot.

Sowing and establishing the planting

Gumweed can be established by sowing seeds in spring directly in the bed or by raising seedlings on a windowsill, similarly to other annuals and biennials. After germination the plant usually only roots and forms a leaf rosette in the first year; full flowering usually occurs only in the second season for the biennial types, while for the perennial species flowering repeats every year after rooting.

Traditional use and today's view

In its homeland gumweed was traditionally included in folk herbalism, like a number of other wild-growing North American plants. However, the exact traditional procedures and safe dosing for home use are not reliably documented for ordinary growers, and so gumweed is grown here today mainly as an ornamental, long-flowering herb for the bed, not as an herb to process yourself.

Use in the garden and for pollinators

Thanks to its long and abundant flowering, gumweed attracts bees and other insects, so it suits gardens focused on supporting pollinators. In a bed it complements other summer-flowering perennials and annuals well, especially if you want to extend the flowering period into late summer, when many spring species have long since finished.

Why the Czech name for gumweed means "weed", although it is grown ornamentally

The Czech name of the plant refers to the fact that a number of species of the genus Grindelia, outside ornamental cultivation, behave as an undemanding, fast-spreading weed on pastures and along paths in their homeland, where they can colonise even disturbed, poor soil. This toughness is also the reason why the plant is easy to grow in cultivation and does not require excessively careful care – the same qualities that make it hard to eradicate in the wild make it easy for the gardener to establish it and keep it in the bed over the long term.

Combining with drought-loving perennials

In a bed gumweed combines well with other sun-loving species of similar height, such as feverfew, rudbeckias or various varieties of ox-eye daisy, with which it shares long summer and autumn flowering. Thanks to the yellow colour of its flowers it works as a linking element between the warm shades of the bed, while the sticky buds give the plant an interesting texture even outside the flowering period, which distinguishes the bed from the usual combination of smooth, glossy leaves of other perennials.

Diseases, pests and care during the season

Gumweed is a plant resistant to diseases and pests; any problems are related mainly to unsuitable, permanently waterlogged soil, where root rot is a risk. Aphids appear on young shoots only occasionally, especially in drier periods; it is enough to rinse them off with a jet of water or treat them with a potassium soap-based product. The plant essentially needs no feeding and manages by itself on ordinary fertile garden soil; over-feeding with nitrogen may moreover lead to lush but weaker growth, which is more prone to lodging in wind or rain.

Collecting seeds for the next season

If you want to propagate gumweed from your own seeds, leave some of the spent flower heads to ripen on the plant until they dry and turn brown. Always collect the seeds in dry weather and let them dry thoroughly for a few more days in an airy place before storing them in a paper bag in a cool and dry place. Your own seeds will let you easily propagate the plant into other parts of the garden without having to buy new seed every year.

Placement in an ornamental garden

Thanks to its low to medium height gumweed suits the front or middle of a mixed bed, where it will not shade lower neighbouring plants and at the same time will not itself be hidden by taller species behind it. In a rock garden or in a drought-loving part of the garden it completes the overall composition together with other undemanding perennials with which it shares similar requirements for well-drained soil and plenty of sun throughout the day.

Frequently asked questions

Why are gumweed buds sticky?

It is a natural characteristic of the genus Grindelia; the buds produce a resinous substance, from which the plant also got its English name "gumweed".

Is gumweed common in the Czech Republic?

No, it is a North American plant grown here only marginally as an ornamental herb, and it does not occur naturally in our countryside.

Does gumweed need a lot of water?

Yes, although it is regarded as undemanding, regular and generous watering benefits it more than long-term drought, especially at flowering time.

Is gumweed poisonous?

It is not described as a markedly poisonous plant, but its internal use without consulting an expert is nevertheless not recommended, because dosing for home use is not reliably verified.

Is gumweed suitable for a bed for pollinators?

Yes, thanks to its long flowering in summer and autumn it is sought out by bees and other insects, so it is a suitable addition to a garden supporting biodiversity.

Can gumweed also be grown in a container on a balcony?

Yes, if you choose a sufficiently large container with well-drained substrate and ensure regular watering, because the substrate in a smaller container dries out considerably faster than soil in a bed.

Sources

• Wikipedia (EN) – Grindelia
• ÚKZÚZ – Varieties, lists of recommended varieties

Updated: 10 October 2026