Mentzelia montana
Mountain blazing star
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Loasaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Mentzelia montana (Mountain blazing star) is a native California herb in the Loasaceae family, recognized by white-based bracts and angular seeds with textured coat.
Mountain blazing star is a California native annual found in the Cascade Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, northeastern Sierra Nevada, and northern Desert Mountains in open, disturbed slopes, grasslands, sagebrush scrub, and conifer forests at elevations of 600 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with orange bases, typically 2 to 6 millimeters long, emerging from dense or open clusters with lanceolate bracts. Growing 4 to 48 centimeters tall with erect stems that range from glabrous to hairy, it has a variable form across different habitats. Its leaves vary from proximal lobed to distal entire or lobed, typically less than 13 centimeters long, creating a delicate and adaptable appearance. The fruit is an erect to slightly curved capsule 6 to 17 millimeters long, containing irregular-rounded seeds with dark mottling on a tan background.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; white-based bracts and angular seeds with textured coat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, generally disturbed slopes, flats, grassland, sagebrush scrub, conifer forest
Elevation: 600-3400 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Ventura, Kern, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mono, San Diego, Lassen, Plumas, Nevada, Alpine, Modoc, Siskiyou, Santa Barbara, Placer, Tuolumne, Sierra, Shasta
Outside California: to Oregon, Colorado, Texas, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Mentzelia montana blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Camissoniopsis: Mentzelia has many stamens and 3 stigmas; Camissoniopsis has 8 stamens and 4 stigmas.; vs Leptosiphon: Mentzelia has free petals and many stamens; Leptosiphon has fused petals forming a tube.; vs Emmenanthe: Mentzelia has free petals and 3 stigmas; Emmenanthe has fused bell-shaped petals.; vs Eschscholzia: Mentzelia has many stamens and 3 stigmas; Eschscholzia has many stamens and 4 stigmas.; vs Potentilla: Mentzelia has 3 stigmas and capsule fruit; Potentilla has many pistils and achene fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mentzelia montana native to California?
Yes. Mentzelia montana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mentzelia montana bloom?
Mentzelia montana blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Mentzelia montana grow?
Mentzelia montana occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Ventura, Kern, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mono and other counties, at elevations of 600-3400 m.
What plant family does Mentzelia montana belong to?
Mentzelia montana is in the Loasaceae family, genus Mentzelia.
What habitat does Mentzelia montana grow in?
Mentzelia montana grows in Open, generally disturbed slopes, flats, grassland, sagebrush scrub, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.