Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. apricum

Alpine leafybract aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Alpine leafybract aster is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada in alpine and subalpine meadows at elevations of 2,700 to 3,200 meters. Flowering in August, this plant produces white ray flowers with purple-tinged phyllary heads. Growing with slender stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in high-elevation mountain environments. Its leaves are generally 3 to 10 centimeters long, distributed along the stem with a delicate, sparse arrangement. The plant's distinctive purple-tinged flower bracts and high-altitude habitat make it a notable alpine species.

Habitat: Alpine and subalpine meadows

Bloom period: Aug

Elevation: 2700-3200 m

Bioregions: KR, CaR, SN

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