Ploughman's Spikenard is a
native
biennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in dry chalky grassland and roadsides, to a mature height of up to 120cm.
Ploughman's Spikenard is named after an allusion to the spikenard scent, a classic aromatic oil made from a Himalayan plant. Ploughman's Spikenard is believed to have been hung up by ploughmen as a spikenard-substitute air freshener in their homes. Ploughman's Spikenard bears dense clusters of composite flowers at the top of its stems. The flowers consist of tightly-packed disc florets, with outer ray florets being absent.
Botanic classification and naming: Ploughman's Spikenard is a member of the Daisy (Asteraceae) family. The genus name
'Inula' identifies the plant as a Yellowhead and its species name 'conyza' means 'fleabane-like plant'.
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