XHoary False Goldenaster (Heterotheca canescens)X
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Hoary False Goldenaster -or- Gray Golden-aster (Heterotheca canescens), family Asteraceae (Sunflower/Aster)
This species is another of the roughly 20 species in the genus Heterotheca. This one is documented in Weber and Whittmann's Colorado Flora Eastern Slope but is not shown in Colorado in the USDA Plant database.
FunFacts: The Cheyenne boiled the tops and stems and used the resulting extract as a sedative to aid sleep. The plants are a good nectar source for small butterflies.
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Plant location: Found along a roadside near Brighton Colorado on July 3, 2008.Plant -
Bloom season: July through Setember.
FunFacts: Bloom periods are mostly about attracting pollinators. The plant family that this species belongs to (Asteraceae) is considered to be highly evolved in the plant kingdom. For one, the complex flower heads both attract and provide 'landing platforms' for pollinators. Also, many species in this family offer a 'double payoff' to their visitors, both pollen AND nectar.
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Brighton Colorado - July 3, 2008
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Brighton Colorado - July 3, 2008
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