Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Erysimum capitatum var. purshii
Erysimum capitatum (Douglas ex Hook.) Greene var. purshii (Durand) Rollins
Pursh's Wallflower, Alpine Wallflower
Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)
Synonym(s): Erysimum amoenum, Erysimum argillosum, Erysimum asperrimum, Erysimum asperum var. amoenum, Erysimum asperum var. purshii, Erysimum capitatum var. amoenum, Erysimum capitatum var. argillosum, Erysimum desertorum, Erysimum nivale
USDA Symbol: ERCAP3
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A low plant with several short stems growing from tufts of basal leaves and bearing yellow or yellow-orange flowers with rusty-backed petals in compact racemes.
Western Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum) is one of the West's most striking wildflowers. It is also one of the most variable species, with very wide ecological tolerance. This variation has defied easy botanical classification; some botanists recognize no varieties, while others attempt to demonstrate the complex variation through nomenclature. The very short alpine phases in the Rocky Mountains were once recognized as a separate species, E. nivale (nivale means "of snow" and refers to the plant's habitat). E. capitatum var. purshii now includes this and numerous other short-stemmed phases of Western Wallflower. The short-stemmed habit, characteristic of many alpine plants, is an adaptation for rapid flower production and protection from the cold.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: BiennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Silique
Size Notes: Up to about 4 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow , PurpleBloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Bloom Notes: Usually yellow to orangish, rarely lavender or purplish.
Distribution
USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , NM , TX , UT , WYNative Distribution: Eastern Utah and Colorado south to central Mexico.
Native Habitat: Dry slopes, rocky ridges, sagebrush flats, aspen and spruce areas, and alpine tundra at moderate to high elevations.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Erysimum capitatum var. purshii in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Erysimum capitatum var. purshii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Erysimum capitatum var. purshii
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-03-13Research By: TWC Staff