Flower profile
Alpine sunflower
Hymenoxys grandiflora
Alpine sunflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Colorado it's most often seen in bloom in June–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Colorado
Quick look
Hymenoxys grandiflora is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names graylocks four-nerve daisy, graylocks rubberweed, or old man of the mountain. It is native to high elevations in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado. NatureServe
- In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,366 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #65 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
Alpine sunflower gift ideas
Handmade alpine sunflower gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Alpine sunflower art print
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Alpine sunflower greeting card
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Alpine sunflower mug
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Alpine sunflower earrings
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Alpine sunflower embroidery pattern
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Alpine sunflower sticker
When does it bloom?
In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in June–September.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records alpine sunflower in 5 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming.
Colorado counties with USDA records: Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Dolores, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Mineral, Park, Pitkin, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, Summit.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TEGR3.
- iNaturalist, Hymenoxys grandiflora: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Hymenoxys grandiflora (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Hymenoxys grandiflora (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Bob Walker via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.