Ageratina ligustrina

Ageratina ligustrina, the (privet-leaved ageratina or privet-leaved snakeroot, is Mesoamerican species of evergreen flowering shrub in the sunflower family. It is widespread across much of Mexico and Central America from Tamaulipas to Costa Rica.[2][3][4]

Ageratina ligustrina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Ageratina
Species:
A. ligustrina
Binomial name
Ageratina ligustrina
(DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob.
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy
  • Eupatorium biceps Klotzsch ex Vatke
  • Eupatorium erythropappum B.L.Rob.
  • Eupatorium ligustaefolium DC.
  • Eupatorium ligustifolium DC.
  • Eupatorium ligustrinum DC.
  • Eupatorium micranthum Less. 1830 not Lag. 1816
  • Eupatorium myriadenium Schauer
  • Eupatorium semialatum Benth.
  • Eupatorium weinmannianum Regel & Körn.

Ageratina ligustrina grows to 4 metres tall, producing flat heads of daisy-like white to pink composite flower-heads in autumn.[5] The fragrant flower-heads may be up to 20 centimeters in diameter and attract butterflies.[6] The leaves are light green, elliptic to lance shaped, with toothed margins.[7]

Cultivation

Ageratina ligustrina has been in cultivation since the mid 1800s, and in 1996, it gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[8][9] It is not fully hardy in temperate regions.[5] In the US, it is suitable to be grown outdoors in hardiness zones 9–11.[7] A. ligustrina tends to be susceptible to slugs and aphids if grown outside, and whiteflies and red spider mites if grown in a greenhouse.[10]

Etymology

Ageratina is derived from Greek meaning 'un-aging', in reference to the flowers keeping their color for a long time. This name was used by Dioscorides for a number of different plants.[11]

The Latin specific epithet ligustrina highlights the plant's resemblance to the privet Ligustrum, though the two plants are not believed to be closely related.[12]

Chemical compounds

Eupalin and eupatolin are flavonol rhamnosides isolated from E. ligustrinum.[13]

References

  1. "Ageratina ligustrina (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob.". The Global Compositae Checklist (GCC) via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  2. Turner, B. L. 1997. The Comps of Mexico: A systematic account of the family Asteraceae, vol. 1 -- Eupatorieae. Phytologia Memoirs 11: i–iv, 1–272
  3. Linares, J. L. 2003 [2005]. Listado comentado de los árboles nativos y cultivados en la república de El Salvador. Ceiba 44(2): 105–268.
  4. Berendsohn, W.G., A. K. Gruber & J. A. Monterrosa Salomón. 2009. Nova silva cuscatlanica. Árboles nativos e introducidos de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29(1): 1–438.
  5. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  6. "Ageratina ligustrina | Coastal Hedging". www.coastalhedging.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  7. Shoot. "Ageratina ligustrina Eupatorium ligustrinum Eupatorium micranthum Eupatorium weinmannianum Privet-leaved eupatorium Care Plant Varieties & Pruning Advice". www.shootgardening.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  8. Hind, Nicholas (2006). "567. AGERATINA LIGUSTRINA: Compositae". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 23 (4): 278–288. ISSN 1355-4905.
  9. "RHS Plant Selector - Ageratina ligustrina". Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  10. "Eupatorium Ligustrinum from Burncoose Nurseries". Burncoose Nurseries. Archived from the original on 2011-10-14. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  11. Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 39
  12. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
  13. The structures of eupalin and eupatolin. Two new flavonol rhamnosides isolated from Eupatorium ligustrinum D.C. L. Quijano, F. Malanco and Tirso Ríos, Tetrahedron, Volume 26, Issue 12, 1970, pages 2851-2859, doi:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)92863-7


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