Etymology: Kochia: named for Wilhelm Daniel Josef Koch (1771-1849), a German doctor and professor of botany
Plants: erect, annual, 6"-40" tall forb, bushy-branched and softly hairy
Leaves: softly hairy above, stalkless, mostly linear with a blunt tip
Flowers: cream to yellow, 5-parted, tiny, stalkless, no petals, either solitary or in pairs; inflorescence dense spikes from leaf axils; blooms July-Sept.
Fruits: star-shaped, in the leaf axils
Habitat: disturbed sites
Conservation Status: Introduced - naturalized

Flora of North America: Flora of North America Floristic Rating: Wetland Indicator = FACU- USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Illinois Wildflowers: Wonderful photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leaf arrangement key