Ipomopsis aggregata

Habit: single stemmed perennial with highly pinnately divided basal leaves, covered in dense, small white hairs giving the leaves a silvery gray appearance.  Stems and leaves are sticky and covered with fine hairs.  Leaves wither during the summer blossom when the plant has several elongated panicles with fiery red to red-orange tubular flowers.  Clustered near the ends of the branches flower petals open with pointed flaring lobes and a star shaped corolla reveals an orange mottled throat with protruding stamen and anthers.  Fruit is a capsule.

Ecology: found growing in open areas and slopes of forests, shrublands, and woodlands from 3600-10,800 ft (1100-3300 m), common in and west of the Rocky Mountains.

Growing Conditions: full sun to partial shade in moist to dry well-drained soil.  Ipomopsis aggregata is drought tolerant once established.

Hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar produced in the tubular flowers as well as butterflies, wasps and bees.