Leslie Madsen took our cover photo in June 2019 in Boulder, and gives the following description of this one-of-a-kind plant:
“The Green Gentian/Elk Weed/Monument Plant (yes! three common names!) is an incredible wildflower native to the Rocky Mountains that grows in mountain foothills, open fields, even higher altitudes. The height of these plants is astonishing: They are usually 4-6 feet tall! The stems are packed with white or pale yellow, light green flowers that, until recently, were thought to flower every other year (biennial). Recent research by the famous wildflower institute in Gothic (outside of Crested Butte, Colorado) indicates that the Frasera speciosa is a monocarpic perennial, meaning that once it flowers, it sets seeds and dies. In the case of green gentians, it might mean that they take upwards of 20 years to flower and then croak … Pollination is key to survival of these plants: This picture of a bee on the green gentian seems like a great ‘snapshot’ in the life of an amazing wildflower.”
