This plant can be found throughout the middle and eastern portions of North America. Notice its flower which is strikingly different from “typical” flowers. When you can identify this plant, please comment below and provide both the common and scientific names. Also include any personal connection you may have with this plant.
Spring growth
Closer view of plant structure in spring
Stem and leaves
Group of plants
Upper portion with developing flower heads
Inflorescence
Flowers
Flowers and developing seed heads
Plant in the fall
Seed head
Seed head (background), receptacle (foreground)
Seeds and receptacle
Plant in winter
ANSWER (subsequently added to this post to facilitate the “search” function for these images): Sweet everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium)
Also, read the blog post and watch the plant portrait video for Sweet everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium).
Anaphalis spp. perhaps margaritacea?
Pearly Everlasting
Ed, you are definitely on the right track. However, this is not a member of the Anaphalis genus.
Rabbit tobacco: Gnaphalium obtusifolium
Bobby, you got it! Another of its common names is Sweet everlasting. I so enjoy the smell of this plant when I rub its leaves between my fingers — even the dead leaves in the middle of winter.
By the way, this is one of those plants whose genus has been re-named. It is now Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium. For a note on this, see: http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PSOB3