The common names for Verbesina occidentalis are yellow crownbeard and stick weed.

Verbesina occidentalis can live in partially sunny habitats but, it will not grow as well.

It can also be found at roadsides, fencerows, parking lots, creek sides and forested areas.

[citation needed] Verbesina occidentalis can be used in the home garden for insect control because it attracts the predatory soldier beetle (family Cantharidae).

Verbesina occidentalis attracts the soldier beetle (family Cantharidae) for two reasons.

The adult soldier beetles eat aphids, caterpillars, grasshopper eggs and mites.

The larval soldier beetle preys upon insect eggs, other larva, snails, and slugs.

[9] Verbesina occidentalis has been shown to be one of the plants that is sensitive to the rising ozone levels.

In the Smokey Mountain National Park approximately fifty percent of the plants sampled showed symptoms of foliar ozone injury.

With the removal of Verbesina occidentalis the evenness and the Shannon diversity has been shown to increase.

The legume and hay field farmers seem to be some of the most negatively affected by Verbesina occidentalis due to competition.

Verbesina occidentalis can be controlled at a ninety three percent rate with two pints per acre of Grazon P+D herbicide.

Crossbow 2,4-D alone would control Verbesina occidentalis up to a rate of eighty three percent.

However, when Benvel herbicide is used alone the control rate for Verbesina occidentalis is less than fifty percent.