Woolly fleabane facts for kids

The Erigeron lanatus, also known as the woolly fleabane, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which includes many well-known flowers like daisies and sunflowers. This plant is special because it grows in the high mountains of western North America.

You can find the woolly fleabane in places like British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, and Montana in the United States. Sometimes, it can even be found further north in Yukon or as far south as Colorado.

What the Woolly Fleabane Looks Like

The woolly fleabane is a small plant. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and its stems are not woody. It usually grows only a few centimeters tall.

Leaves and Stems

Most of its leaves grow from the bottom of the plant, near the ground. Each leaf is shaped like a spear, or a "lance," and can be up to 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) long. These leaves are covered in soft, woolly fibers, which is how the plant gets its common name, "woolly fleabane."

Flowers and Blooming

The plant produces one main flower head. This head looks like a single flower but is actually made of many tiny flowers called ray florets. These florets are usually white, but some might have a purple tint. They are about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long.

The flower head is surrounded by special leaf-like parts called phyllaries. These phyllaries are hairy and can be purple or have purple tips. The woolly fleabane usually blooms in July and August. After blooming, the flower head turns into a small, dry fruit called an achene. This achene has a fluffy top, known as a pappus, which helps its seeds fly away in the wind.

Where the Woolly Fleabane Lives

The woolly fleabane loves to grow in very high places. It lives in subalpine and alpine climates. These are cold, windy areas found just below or above the tree line in mountains.

It is often found growing in limestone scree. Scree is a slope covered with small, broken rocks. The woolly fleabane can grow well in these rocky, high-altitude environments. Sometimes, you might see it growing next to other mountain plants like the Siberian aster and starwort.

Protecting the Woolly Fleabane

Even though it lives in tough mountain environments, the woolly fleabane can be sensitive to human activities. Things like people hiking in its habitat or certain types of mining can disturb the areas where it grows. It is important to protect these special mountain plants and their homes.