# monument plant (*Frasera speciosa*) The monument plant is a tall, beautiful flower that grows in the wild. It has big, green leaves and can grow up to 6 feet tall! It blooms with lovely yellow flowers that attract butterflies. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![monument plant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/GreenGentianYNPJune2011.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mike Cline, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GreenGentianYNPJune2011.jpg) ## Appearance The monument plant is a striking, tall wildflower reaching up to 10 feet with a sturdy central stalk. It boasts numerous greenish-yellow flowers, each subtly speckled with purple, clustered tightly along its upper stem in a magnificent, towering display. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Gentianaceae - **Genus:** Frasera ## Interesting facts - After its one magnificent bloom, the entire monument plant dies, spreading seeds for a new generation. - Its incredible flower stalk can grow as tall as a small tree, reaching over 10 feet high! - Its unique green-yellow flowers feature tiny purple polka dots, like hidden treasures for keen eyes! - This plant can live for many decades, even 80 years, before blooming just once! ## Special abilities - **Grand Finale Bloom:** Monument plant stores energy for decades, then produces one enormous flower stalk that can grow over 10 feet tall, ensuring many seeds. - **Pollinator Spotlight:** Its greenish-yellow flowers have special spots and nectar guides that attract bees and hummingbirds to help with pollination. - **High-Altitude Survivor:** The plant has deep roots that help it withstand harsh winds and dry conditions in its high mountain home. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-300 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Red-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus appositus*) — collects nectar and pollen from its large flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Rufous Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rufous-hummingbird) (*Selasphorus rufus*) — sips nectar while transferring pollen between blooms. - **Eaten by:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — may browse on leaves, especially before the plant flowers. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not touch or pick wild plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify monument plant? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is monument plant? 60-300 cm ### How wide does monument plant spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on monument plant? 1-2 cm ### When does monument plant bloom? Summer ### Is monument plant edible? No ### Is monument plant toxic? Moderate ### What is monument plant's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/strattons-independence-mine-and-mill) — Colorado, US · Historic Site - [Telluride Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/telluride-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [William Allen White Cabins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/william-allen-white-cabins) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Cripple Creek Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cripple-creek-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Hunter Hereford Ranch Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hunter-hereford-ranch-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Silverton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silverton-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District [View all places to see monument plant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/monument-plant) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Monument Plant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monument-plant)