Kingdom Plantae Family Compositae Genus Eucephalus Rank Species | Order Asterales Tribe Astereae Scientific name Eucephalus engelmannii | |
Similar Eucephalus, Eurybia conspicua, Symphyotrichum ascendens, Symphyotrichum eatonii, Erigeron peregrinus | ||
Eucephalus engelmannii top 6 facts
Eucephalus engelmannii is a North American species in the aster family known by the common name Engelmann's aster. It is native to the United States and Canada from Alberta and British Columbia to far northern California and Colorado.
Eucephalus engelmannii grows in mountain woods and meadows. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody caudex and sending a slender, branching, hairy stem to a maximum height near 1.5 meters (5 feet). The mostly hairless leaves are generally oval and up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, with the lowest ones much reduced. The inflorescence holds several flower heads lined in keeled, pointed, hairy-edged phyllaries with purplish margins at the tips. Each head has 8-13 white to pinkish or light violet ray florets each up to 2 centimeters long, surrounding yellow disc florets. The fruit is a hairy achene.