Mountain Dwarf Dandelion Krigia montana
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Cynthia montana
- Phonetic Spelling
- KRIG-ee-uh mon-TAY-nah
- Description
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Dwarf Dandelion is a native perennial herb in the aster family found in the southern Appalachian mountains of North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. It is found growing in rocky crevices, rocky woodlands, balds, cliffs, rock barrens and rocky roadsides, at medium to high elevations. Abundant yellow flowers bloom on long, 2 foot stalks, from spring to fall. Usually, there is only one blossom per stalk.
Dwarf Dandelion does well with full sun and moist conditions in poor and rocky soil and is often found in gravelly soils, wet mossy crevices on granite cliffs, rock slides, and rocky road banks.
Dwarf Dandelion is listed as vulnerable to extinction.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Krigia
- Species:
- montana
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used in herbal medicine
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Eastern United States
- Distribution:
- North Carolina south to Georgia, west to Alabama and Tennessee.
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Krigia support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) krigiana
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Mountains
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Description:
- Oval reddish brown fruits with ridges. While the fruit type is often referred to as achene, it is actually cypsela.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are solitary, bright yellow-orange petals with fringed tips borne on a long, 20 inch, stem. There can be several heads produced per plant. Leafy green bracts are at the base of the flower head. They consist of rays without center disc flowers. There can be 20 to 60 rays per flower. Blooms from May through September.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Most leaves are basal and narrow with a variable shape such as linear, lance-shaped or lobed and toothed like a dandelion. Leaves are 4 to 15 inches long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- One to five stems, branched and usually decumbant, green, slender, milky, and mostly smooth.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
