🔍 Yellow Alder | Turnera ulmifolia 🌼
📍 San Isidro de Grecia, Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷
💬 Despite being treated as a roadside weed in many tropical countries, Turnera ulmifolia has been used in traditional medicine for centuries — and each flower only lasts a single day before dropping its petals.
Flora
Yellow Alder | Turnera ulmifolia
Basic ID
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Other Common Names
Ramgoat Dashalong, Sage Rose, Mariposa Amarilla, West Indian Holly
Plant Type
Perennial shrub / herbaceous wildflower
Flower / Leaf Color
Bright yellow petals; dark green serrated leaves
Lifespan
Perennial; individual flowers last 1 day
Size
Height
0.3–1.5 m
Spread
0.3–1 m
Habitat & Behavior
Uses
Traditional medicine, ornamental, ground cover
Wildlife Attraction
Bees, butterflies, small pollinators
Native Region
Tropical Americas (Caribbean, Central and South America)
Current Distribution
Pantropical; naturalized across Africa, Asia, and Pacific islands
Habitat
Roadsides, disturbed areas, urban gardens, highland meadows
Sources: IUCN Red List · Plants of the World Online · USDA PLANTS Database · Encyclopedia of Life