# Orange Agoseris (*agoseris aurantiaca*)

The Orange Agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca) is a delightful alpine and subalpine perennial herb native to the mountains of western North America. Often referred to as the orange dandelion or mountain dandelion, this plant brings a brilliant splash of warm color to high-elevation landscapes. It thrives in open, sunny meadows and forest clearings where its distinctive fiery blossoms stand out against the greenery. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, it is a vital component of montane ecosystems, providing nourishment for high-altitude pollinators and local herbivores alike.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Found in moist mountain meadows, subalpine forests, and open rocky slopes at high elevations.

![Orange Agoseris](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/144503461/medium.jpg)

Photo: Kate Crowell Walker, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/144503461)

## Appearance

This wildflower features a basal rosette of narrow, lance-shaped leaves that can be entire or slightly lobed. Rising from the center of this rosette is a single, leafless stem reaching 10 to 60 centimeters in height, topped with a single daisy-like flower head. The flower head is uniquely colored with coppery-orange, burnt-orange, or brick-red ligules that often turn deep pink or purple as they dry. The milky latex sap inside its stem is a key diagnostic feature, and after flowering, it develops a fluffy, white-to-light-brown dandelion-like puffball of seeds.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Agoseris

## Interesting facts

- Indigenous peoples of western North America historically used the solidified milky sap of various Agoseris species as a natural chewing gum.
- The genus name Agoseris comes from Greek words meaning 'goat chicory', referring to its resemblance to other members of the aster family.
- Unlike many plants that fade to duller tones, the vibrant orange flowers of this species often age into deep pink, bronze, or purple hues before going to seed.

## Special abilities

- **Milky Latex Defense:** Produces a sticky, bitter white sap when its tissues are damaged, which deters predatory insects and large herbivores from feeding on it.
- **Wind-Dispersed Pappus:** Seeds are attached to fine, feathery structures that catch mountain drafts, allowing them to disperse over long distances and colonize new slopes.
- **Coppery Coloration:** The unique orange and red hues of its flowers specifically target high-altitude pollinators that are highly sensitive to warm spectrums.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 10-60 cm
- **Weight:** 0.01-0.1 kg
- **Lifespan:** 3-10 years

## Diet & Feeding

As a photosynthetic plant, it manufactures its own sugars using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, while absorbing vital trace minerals through its root system.

- **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Water, Carbon Dioxide, Soil Minerals
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Mutualism:** Western Bumble Bee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Pollinates the flower heads while feeding on nectar during the short alpine summer.
- **Eaten by:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — Feeds on the nutrient-rich basal leaves and flower buds in high-elevation summer pastures.
- **Parasite:** Dandelion Rust (*Puccinia hieracii*) — A common fungal pathogen that infects the leaves of the Orange Agoseris, leaving powdery dark spots.

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Orange Agoseris?

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 long is Orange Agoseris?

10-60 cm

### How much does Orange Agoseris weigh?

0.01-0.1 kg

### How long does Orange Agoseris live?

3-10 years

### What does Orange Agoseris eat?

As a photosynthetic plant, it manufactures its own sugars using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, while absorbing vital trace minerals through its root system.

### Where is Orange Agoseris usually found?

Found in moist mountain meadows, subalpine forests, and open rocky slopes at high elevations.

### How does Orange Agoseris hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District

## 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: [Orange Agoseris: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-agoseris)