Blazing Star,听also called听Gayfeather,听is a hardy听wildflower听that听can live for decades听in听Colorado鈥檚 semi-desert climate.听Rising up to 4鈥� tall each autumn,听its bright purple flowers听act as magnets for monarchs, birds and busy bees,听long after听other听summer听blooms have dried up.听
Native to North America where it grows from central Canada to northern Mexico,听this plant听is commonly found along the interface of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, extending eastward into the prairie states and provinces. Blazing Star grows well in Boulder County, where dense clay soils make it difficult for water to soak into the ground quickly.听What makes this听native plant听so successful听also makes听it beneficial to the ecosystem. Blazing Star听has a听deep听root system that can allow surrounding soils听to absorb and retain water.听Its听thick root may reach 16 feet听deep,听making听it resistant to drought.听(As听native听vegetation is replaced with popular turf grasses, less stormwater is absorbed into the ground, leading to more runoff,听water pollution听and potential flooding).听
Technically, the 鈥榬oot鈥� of听Blazing听Star is a听corm,听a modified stem adapted to store food that is sometimes confused with a听bulb. A corm is solid, in contrast, a bulb is a modified bud made up of layers of scales and leaves as in an onion. The plant kingdom has evolved many different forms and structures to survive; adaptations that allow a plant to extend its reach (literally) into the surrounding environment without moving from its fixed spot on the earth.听听
Common name: Blazing Star听
Scientific name:鈥疞颈补迟谤颈蝉听辫耻苍肠迟补迟补听
Catalog number: UCM Herbarium 鈥淐OLO鈥� No. 549463听
Label data: Yuma County, CO听
Collector: Dina Clark鈥�
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