# Mountain Oxytrope (*Oxytropis oreophila*)

The Mountain Oxytrope is a beautiful plant that grows in high mountain areas. It has lovely purple flowers that bloom in spring and attract many tiny insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mountain regions

![Mountain Oxytrope](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oxytropis_oreophila_var_oreophila_1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxytropis_oreophila_var_oreophila_1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Mountain Oxytrope is a low-growing plant forming dense cushions of silvery-green, hairy leaves. Its vibrant purplish-pink or lavender flowers, shaped like tiny peas, bloom in clusters, standing out against rocky alpine slopes.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fabales
- **Family:** Fabaceae
- **Genus:** Oxytropis

## Interesting facts

- Even though it's small, a patch of Mountain Oxytrope helps prevent soil from washing away on slopes!
- Its seeds have tough coats, allowing them to survive long winters before sprouting in spring.
- Some tiny alpine beetles use its flowers as a cozy shelter from cold mountain winds.
- This tough plant can live for many years, patiently waiting for summer in chilly mountain tops!

## Special abilities

- **Cold-Proof Protector:** Mountain Oxytrope has fuzzy leaves and a low growth habit that helps it survive harsh winds and freezing temperatures in high mountains.
- **Soil Supercharger:** Mountain Oxytrope has special root nodules that help it pull nitrogen from the air, enriching poor mountain soil for other plants.
- **Rock Anchor:** Mountain Oxytrope has strong, deep taproots that help it stay firmly anchored on steep, rocky slopes and find water far below.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer (June-August)
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [Hoary Marmot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hoary-marmot) (*Marmota caligata*) — Graze on its leaves and flowers in alpine areas.
- **Eaten by:** [Mountain Goat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mountain-goat) (*Oreamnos americanus*) — Browses on alpine plants including this oxytrope.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage.
- [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.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch wild plants, as some can be delicate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Mountain Oxytrope?

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 Mountain Oxytrope?

5-20 cm

### How wide does Mountain Oxytrope spread?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Mountain Oxytrope?

1-2 cm

### When does Mountain Oxytrope bloom?

Summer (June-August)

### Is Mountain Oxytrope edible?

No

### Is Mountain Oxytrope toxic?

None

### What is Mountain Oxytrope's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Cedar Breaks National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-breaks-national-monument) — Utah, US · National Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Mountain Oxytrope: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mountain-oxytrope)