Mentzelia laevicaulis - Blazing Star
Mentzelia laevicaulis is nothing short of spectacular. This Blazing Star blooms during the late Spring, Summer and through to the Fall when most of the wildflowers are long since finished. Mentzelia laevicaulis will grow to 3 feet tall and wide and will often have more than a dozen 3 inch blossoms blazing at a time. The yellow flowers are filled with a starburst of yellow anthers. A good to know point, Mentzelia laevicaulis flowers close at night and open again as the sun touches them. As the sun rises and things heat up the Blazing Star flowers close again, only to do this dance again as the evening cools and the sun departs. Mentzelia laevicaulis prefers well drained soil. The Blazing Star can be found in disturbed areas and roadsides and even dry streambeds. I find that plants that grow in disturbed areas often do well in gardens, native weeds . . . not all bad.
Yellow flowers filled with a starburst of yellow anthers - Mentzelia laevicaulis - Blazing Star. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.
Plants from the genus Mentzelia featured on this site:
Mentzelia laevicaulis * Blazing Star
Mentzelia micrantha * Chaparral Blazing Star
Mentzelia pectinata * San Joaquin Blazing Star