Amaranthaceae
Washerwoman
Alternanthera caracasana
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Genus
- Alternanthera
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Common names
By language (4)
- Chinese
- 刺花莲子草, 刺花蓮子草
- Croatian
- Karakaška pralja
- English
- Washerwoman
- Spanish
- Sangradera, Sanguinaria de Cuba
Synonyms
- Achyranthes peploides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Roem. & Schult.) Britton
- Alternanthera achyrantha var. dasyantha Seub.
- Alternanthera achyrantha var. parvifolia Moq.
- Alternanthera parvifolia (Moq.) Fawc. & Rendle
- Alternanthera peploides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Roem. & Schult.) Urb.
- Alternanthera villiflora Scheele
- Celosia humifusa Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
- Illecebrum peploides Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.
- Telanthera caracasana (Kunth) Moq.
Flowers
- In flower
- April to May, August to September, November (from 21 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native
Photos
FlowerPhoto: Evelyn Lazzaretti 🏳️⚧️, CC0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Jo Roberts, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Eduardo Luis Beltrocco, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
LeavesPhoto: Aiver, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
LeavesPhoto: Jo Roberts, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Hugo Hulsberg, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Tim Johnson, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Alternanthera
- Sessile joyweedAlternanthera sessilisAmaranthaceae
- Alligator weedAlternanthera philoxeroidesAmaranthaceae
- CalicoplantAlternanthera bettzickianaAmaranthaceae
- Brazilian joyweedAlternanthera brasilianaAmaranthaceae
- KhakiweedAlternanthera pungensAmaranthaceae
- Smooth joyweedAlternanthera paronychioidesAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera reineckiiAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera echinocephalaAmaranthaceae
- Iresine radicataAlternanthera radicataAmaranthaceae
- SanguinariaAlternanthera ficoideaAmaranthaceae
- Three-leafed chaff flowerAlternanthera filifoliaAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera corymbiformisAmaranthaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.