Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens
ExplorePlants
Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens
dryas octopetala
The Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens is an iconic arctic-alpine dwarf evergreen shrub that carpets tundra and rocky high-altitude slopes with cheerful white blooms. A pioneer species from the rose family, it thrives where few other plants can survive, clinging to cold, wind-swept limestone rocks. Its presence is historically significant, so much so that two major geological cold periods—the Older and Younger Dryas—were named after this hardy plant because its pollen dominates glacial sediment layers from those eras.
Habitat: Found in rocky arctic tundra, high-altitude alpine meadows, and limestone crevices across the Northern Hemisphere.
Appearance
This prostrate plant forms low, dense woody mats typically rising only 3 to 15 centimeters above the ground. Its leaves are small, oblong, and deeply scalloped, resembling tiny oak leaves with dark green, shiny tops and woolly, white felt-like undersides. In early to mid-summer, it produces striking, solitary white flowers, each typically featuring eight petals surrounding a dense dome of bright yellow stamens. When the flowers fade, they transform into spectacular, feathery, twisted seed heads that catch the wind like miniature silver sparklers.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRosaceaeGenusDryas
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Dryas octopetala is the official national flower of Iceland and the territorial flower of the Northwest Territories in Canada.
Its parabolic flowers act like tiny satellite dishes, reflecting sunlight onto the central reproductive organs to keep them up to 8 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding air.
The plant is so abundant in fossil records of the last glacial period that two major cold climate epochs, the Older and Younger Dryas, are named after it.
Special abilities
Ability
Solar Tracking Flowers
The cup-shaped blossoms act as parabolic reflectors, turning continuously to face the sun and concentrating heat to attract insect pollinators.
Ability
Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis
It partners with symbiotic Frankia bacteria in its root system, allowing it to thrive in nutrient-poor, rocky, and glacial soils.
Ability
Thermal Insulation Mat
Its low-growing, tightly packed woody cushions trap pockets of warm air, protecting the plant from freezing arctic winds.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 3-15 cm
- Weight
- 0.05-0.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 10-100 years
Diet & Feeding
As a photoautotrophic plant, it produces its own energy through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, supplemented by soil minerals.
Primary Foods
- Sunlight
- Carbon dioxide
- Water
- Soil nitrogen
Ecological connections
mutualism
Arctic Bumblebee
Bombus polaris
Acts as a primary pollinator, attracted to the heat concentrated within the solar-tracking flowers.
eaten by
Arctic Hare
Lepus arcticus
Feeds on the evergreen foliage and twigs during winter when other food sources are scarce.
mutualism
Frankia bacteria
Frankia
Forms root nodules to fix atmospheric nitrogen, providing critical nutrients to the plant in poor soils.
Traits
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Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
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Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens?
The easiest way to identify Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How long is Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens?
3-15 cm
How much does Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens weigh?
0.05-0.5 kg
How long does Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens live?
10-100 years
What does Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens eat?
As a photoautotrophic plant, it produces its own energy through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, supplemented by soil minerals.
Where is Eight-Petal Mountain-Avens usually found?
Found in rocky arctic tundra, high-altitude alpine meadows, and limestone crevices across the Northern Hemisphere.
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