# Great Valley gumweed

*Grindelia camporum*

Native Americans used the plant's gummy resin as a natural adhesive, a remedy for poison oak rashes, and even as a herbal chewing gum.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Asterales › Asteraceae › Grindelia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Dry valley grasslands, foothills, roadsides, and disturbed soils.
- **Diet:** Photosynthetic (requires sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- **Range:** California, USA, Baja California, Mexico
- **Size:** Up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 5 years (short-lived perennial)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss from agriculture and urban sprawl, competition with invasive non-native grasses.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. The plant is safe to approach and examine. The milky white resin on the flower heads is extremely sticky but non-toxic; however, individuals sensitive to the Asteraceae family may experience mild skin irritation. Wash hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol to remove the sticky residue if handled.

## About

Grindelia camporum is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names Great Valley gumplant and Great Valley gumweed .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/6dc67be7-1f3e-4e00-9833-ed4238a9a6b9
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/56953
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grindelia camporum
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/106720823/medium.jpg (Justin, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.