Woolly mule's ears facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Woolly mule's ears |
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| Conservation status | |
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Wyethia
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| Species: |
W. mollis
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| Binomial name | |
| Wyethia mollis |
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Wyethia mollis is a type of flowering plant in the aster family. It is often called woolly mule's ears because its leaves can be quite hairy, like a mule's ear. This plant can be very fuzzy, especially when it's young.
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Where Woolly Mule's Ears Grow
Woolly mule's ears is a tough plant that lives for many years. It grows naturally in the mountains of northern California. You can often find it on the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It also grows in southeastern Oregon and western Nevada.
Where It Likes to Live
This plant likes to live in forests and other mountain areas. It can be found in dry, open meadows where sagebrush grows. It has strong, deep roots that help it grow well in volcanic soils.
What Woolly Mule's Ears Looks Like
The plant grows from a thick root system. It can grow to be about 30 to 40 centimeters tall. Sometimes, it can even reach a meter (about 3 feet) in height!
Leaves of the Plant
The leaves of the woolly mule's ears are shaped like a spear or an oval. They can grow up to 40 centimeters long. When they are new, they are very fuzzy and sticky. The leaves usually stand up straight from the base of the plant.
Flowers of the Plant
The plant produces one or a few flower heads. Each flower head looks like a single large flower. It can have up to 11 yellow petals, called ray florets. These petals can be as long as 4.5 centimeters.
Seeds and Fruit
After the flowers bloom, the plant makes a fruit called an achene. This fruit is about a centimeter long. Inside, there are seeds that are safe to eat. They taste a bit like sunflower seeds!
Images for kids
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A large, fuzzy leaf of the woolly mule's ears plant.
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A close-up of the flower head of Wyethia mollis.
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Woolly mule's ears growing on a hillside in its natural home.
