Frasera speciosa, June 16, 2021
F. speciosa close-up, June 16, 2021
F. speciosa masting, ghost town, 10,800, June 28, 2021
Common & scientific name
Green gentian, Frasera speciosa
Family
Gentian, Gentianaceae
Location
Difficult, 8,200’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
A monocarpic monster that produces a root system and rosette of leaves for between 20-80 years (averaging 35) before sending up its stalk of 4-petaled flowers, then dying. 2019 saw a superbloom of green gentian in our region. After studying what causes superblooms, or “masts,” in green gentian, Dr. David Inouye at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab in Gothic determined that a very wet July and August 4 years previous seemed to trigger the plant in preforming its (initially microscopic) stalk. It looks like 2021 may be another superbloom year, as Green gentians are starting to send up stalks and bloom on both sides of the Pass in large numbers: stay tuned for more photos!
F. speciosa, ghost town, 10,800’, June 28, 2021
F. speciosa superbloom, Grizzly Creek Trail, 11,000’, July 22, 2021