Blazing Star –
This tall purple flower grows all over the West and blooms only in the fall. In many places it flourishes in dry and rocky soil, or on a very steep incline like in the photo. It can do this because its roots go very deep.
The plant is also known as Gayfeather because the purple petals on the stalk look like delicate small feathers.
Blazing stars provide lots of nectar for hummingbirds and insects. Migrating monarch butterflies especially rely on this plant as they fly to Mexico each fall. They need to eat all along the two-thousand mile journey and blazing stars are kind of like gas stations for them. They stop and drink the nectar and then have full butterfly bellies to continue on their way.
I love wildflowers.
