Yellow Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius): yellow Minnesota wildflowers

Yellow Goat's Beard

Plant Info
Also known as:	Yellow Salsify
Scientific name:	Tragopogon dubius
Family:	Aster (Asteraceae)
Life cycle:	biennial
Origin:	Europe
Habitat:	sun; dry fields, along roads
Bloom season:	spring, summer
Plant height:	1 to 3 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor

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Detailed Information

Flower:: 2-inches across with many yellow petals. The green bracts that surround the flower are longer than the petals. The flowers open on sunny mornings and close by noon. The closed flowers resemble a thin pod, up to 5 inches long.
Leaves:: Grass-like blades, ½ inch wide and up to 1 foot long, clasping the stem.
Fruit:: Seed head is a giant dandelion-type plume, 3 inches in diameter.
Notes:: When the sun hits the seed head, it glistens with a pale bronze color and is quite stunning.

More photos

All photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, June-July 2006.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Ramsey County, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Laura S.
on: 2008-06-26 09:29:14

Saw this in Stearns County in St. Cloud by Whitney Field and couldn't find it in my Wildflowers of Minnesota book.

Posted by: Laura S.
on: 2008-06-26 10:21:08

Sorry, I was mistaken. It is on page 353 of my Wildflowers of Minnesota book (by Stan Tekiela).

Posted by: K. Chayka
on: 2008-06-26 19:01:18

Laura, Stan's book is nice for beginners because it has some lovely photos in it. In fact, it was my first wildflower field guide and really helped spark my interest in native plants. When you're ready to expand your horizons, I recommend Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, available in most book stores. It uses illustrations instead of photos, which can actually make identification easier once you learn how to use the key.