# variableleaf collomia (*Collomia heterophylla*) The variableleaf collomia is a pretty flower with unique, colorful petals. It loves to grow in sunny places and can be found in meadows and along roadsides. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![variableleaf collomia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Collomia_heterophylla_4826.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collomia_heterophylla_4826.JPG) ## Appearance The variableleaf collomia has slender stems topped with clusters of small, trumpet-shaped flowers, often appearing in shades of pink, purple, or white. Its distinguishing feature is its leaves, which can vary greatly in shape on a single plant, from broad and toothed at the base to narrow and untoothed higher up. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Polemoniaceae - **Genus:** Collomia ## Interesting facts - Each tiny flower has five petals joined into a tube. - It belongs to the same plant family as garden phlox! - Its scientific name 'heterophylla' means 'different leaves'. - You can often spot it growing in sunny, disturbed soil. ## Special abilities - **Shape-Shifting Leaves:** Variableleaf collomia has unique leaves that change shape on the same plant, helping it adapt to different light conditions. - **Sticky Seed Surprise:** Variableleaf collomia's seeds become sticky when wet, helping them adhere to passing animals for dispersal and germination. - **Pollinator Beacon:** This plant produces vibrant, clustered flowers that act as a strong visual beacon, attracting helpful insects for pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Yellow-faced Bumblebee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** Red Admiral Butterfly (*Vanessa atalanta*) — Visits flowers for nectar. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on young leaves and stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick flowers without asking an adult first, so we can keep nature beautiful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify variableleaf collomia? 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 variableleaf collomia? 10-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on variableleaf collomia? 1-2 cm ### When does variableleaf collomia bloom? Spring to Summer ### Is variableleaf collomia edible? No ### Is variableleaf collomia toxic? None ### What is variableleaf collomia's lifecycle? Annual ### How is variableleaf collomia pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Lower Cushman Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-cushman-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Audubon Canyon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-canyon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Cushman Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cushman-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dunsmuir-botanical-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Coquihalla River Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coquihalla-river-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see variableleaf collomia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/variableleaf-collomia) ## 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: [Variableleaf Collomia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/variableleaf-collomia)