Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Montana and Idaho.

Habitat: Moist woods, streambanks and seashores.

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Fibrous-rooted perennial from a creeping rhizome, highly variable in size, the herbage pubescent.

Leaves toothed, the lower oblanceolate, petiolate, often deciduous; other leaves lanceolate, sessile, 5-12 cm. long and 1-3 cm. wide, 4-8 times as long as wide.

Inflorescence an open, leafy panicle; involucre bracts firm, thick, strongly imbricate, the tips often recurved, the base conspicuously yellowish or brownish, the margins papery; disk flowers numerous, yellow; rays blue to purple, 1-2 cm. long; pappus of numerous reddish capillary bristles.

Achenes somewhat hairy.