Engelmann aster, a tall, leafy perennial with underground running 

 rootstocks, ranges from British Columbia to northern California and 

 eastward to Colorado and Montana. It usually occurs in loam soils 

 which may vary from a clay loam to a gravelly or even a rocky loam. 

 It is not critical in its moisture requirements and is found on both 

 moderately moist and fairly dry soils. It occurs in a variety of types, 

 namely, in grass and weed mixtures, among shrubs, in aspen, and in 

 open coniferous timber, probably reaching its best development in 

 rich, moist soils in scattered aspen. Being a mountain plant, this 

 species seldom occurs below an elevation of 3,000 feet in the Cascade 

 Mountains of Washington and Oregon. In the Rocky Mountains its 

 elevational range is from about 6,000 to 10,000 feet. This aster is 

 fairly common and in some places is locally abundant, although it 

 seldom constitutes more than a small part of the herbaceous plant 

 growth. 



There is some difference of opinion as to the palatability of Engel- 

 mann aster. There is general agreement, however, that it is one of 

 the most palatable of the asters and, as it is rather widely distributed 

 and fairly common, it is a rather valuable weed species. Engelmann 

 aster is reputedly good sheep and cattle feed in parts of Utah and 

 good sheep forage in parts of Wyoming. Generally throughout the 

 rest of its range it rates as fairly good forage for sheep and goats, 

 fair for cattle, but practically worthless for horses. All observers 

 agree that before the buds develop it is good spring forage for elk, 

 and that it also has value for fall and winter use. Some observers 

 state that it is good deer and wild-goat feed, while others maintain 

 that deer seldom graze this or any other species of aster. 



Engelmann aster, one of many plants named for Dr. George Engel- 

 mann (1809-84), a celebrated American botanist, is a rather robust 

 species with leafy stems either solitary or in small tufts. The basal 

 leaves and the stem leaves are nearly equal in size, are relatively 

 thin, with a prominent midrib, and of a pale green, somewhat yel- 

 lowish color. The larger leaves often have a few small teeth along 

 the margins. The stems often bear as many as 20 or more rather 

 large heads, although stems with only 1 or 2 heads are not uncommon. 

 The petallike ray flowers, mostly about 10 on each head, vary from 

 white or pinkish to purple. Rocky Mountain specimens tend to pro- 

 duce white or pinkish ray flowers, whereas California specimens usu- 

 ally have darker-colored rays. The commonly reddish or purple- 

 edged involucral bracts are in five rows, the outer ones being shorter 

 than the inner. 



This species, like many other asters, starts blooming about the 

 middle of July and continues until late September. Seeds begin to 

 mature about the 1st of September, and are produced as long as the 

 weather permits. An abundance of seed is produced, and the plants 

 also spread by means of the strong rootstocks. However, Engelmann 

 aster is not an especially aggressive species; and while it maintains 

 itself very well on grazed ranges, it does not tend to become overly 

 abundant. 



