Common names:
Giant blazing star, smooth stem blazing star
Family:
Scientific name:
Mentzelia laevicaulis
Main flower color:
Range:
The Pacific and northern Rocky Mountain states, and Nevada
Height:
Between 1 and 3 feet
Habitat:
Well-drained soils; open plains, hillsides, roadsides
Leaves:
Up to 3 inches long, thin, lanceolate, divided into irregular lobes; surface rough
Season:
June to September
Because of its large, showy flowers, the whitish bark and the height (up to 3 feet), mentzelia laevicaulis is a distinctive and easily-recognized plant, one with wide distribution in the West, from Canada to Utah. The star-like flowers can measure up to 5 inches across, composed of five tapered petals and a cluster of equally-long stamens, plus five narrow sepals, arranged between the petals. Underneath are shorter, greenish yellow bracts, curving downwards. The plant produces short branches, each topped by a flower, but grows mostly upwards rather than sideways.
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