Elephantopus carolinianus

Carolina Elephant’s Foot is an herbaceous perennial found in dry woodlands in the southeast. It prefers soil that is well-drained and can handle sandy soils. Light purple, pink to white disc flowers form clusters that appear as a single flower, appearing in late summer and fall. In the Asteraceae family, it is closely related to Ironweed, and the flowers resemble each other. It is known to spread and even take over an area, so it would make a great groundcover or green mulch, but it can become weedy if it isn’t maintained. Carolina Elephant’s Foot is believed to originate in the Carolinas and has large leaves that give this plant its common name. It is a host plant to moth larvae and is visited by butterflies and bees.