Doellingeria engelmannii

Engelmann's aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Engelmann's aster is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in meadows and open woodland at elevations of 1,800 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces white ray flowers that may turn pale pink, arranged in distinctive cyme-like clusters with heads containing generally 8 or 13 rays. Growing with stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall that are slightly glandular or hairy, it develops an open, branching structure. Its leaves are 4 to 10 centimeters long, elliptic to ovate, with green surfaces that are nearly smooth and somewhat pointed tips. The flower heads feature uniquely colored phyllaries with pale bodies, green midveins, and purple-margined tips, creating an intricate and delicate botanical display.

Habitat: Uncommon. Meadows, open woodland

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 1800-2000 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoRH

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.