It spent its first year or so as a well-behaved low rosette of very pretty dark-green leaves that resembled endive or a lettuce a little. This year it shot up in a dozen stiff stalks to more than a meter tall, with clusters of small yellow flowers that remind me a bit of chammomile. Food? Daisy family? Zone 8 Portland OR.
Hi there, I'm as certain as I can be with an aster family plant identified via images (@90%) that this is tansy ragwort, aka Senecio jacobaea. If that's the case, it's definitely not edible. Senecio jacobaea - BC Noxious Weed Info Sheet Senecio jacobaeae - Washington State Noxious Weed Info Sheet Carl Lindman's drawing of the plant and Thome's drawing of the plant from here and here
I concur. As a side note, around here we have the hybrid between Senecio cineraria and S. jacobaea, called S. x albescens popping up in several places. While less silvery than dusty miller, our plants are interesting for having more showy flowers than either parent.
Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) for me too. Highly toxic, and also an invasive weed that you definitely don't want.
Thanks so much everyone. I guess I won't eat it then :^) and I'll do away with it before it seeds. Susan
