Flower profile

Woolly mule's ears

Wyethia mollis

Woolly mule's ears (Wyethia mollis) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.

Native to Nevada

Woolly mule's ears is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

3states where USDA records it

434NV sightings*

5,135U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Nevada

Quick look

Wyethia mollis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name woolly mule's ears. The plant is hairy to woolly in texture, sometimes losing its hairs with age.
From Wikipedia's article Wyethia mollis, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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 3 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2.5 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 434 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #94 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Nevada (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (43 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
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.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Nevada. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

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.

For petsNot well documented

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 woolly mule's ears in 3 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Nevada, Oregon.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Carson City, Douglas, Eureka, Lander, Mineral, Nye, Storey, Washoe.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Woolly mule's ears a low shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.5 to 8.5 and winter lows down to -13 °F.

Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 6.5 to 8.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -13 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 165
Annual precipitation range: 8 to 16 inches
Minimum root depth: 20 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by: seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for WYMO. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 28 counties across 3 states; the most are in California (18), Nevada (8), Oregon (2).

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Nevada flowers

Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: January–April

Desert marigold

Baileya multiradiata

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: March–May

Rubber rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: August–November

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile WYMO.
iNaturalist, Wyethia mollis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Wyethia mollis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Wyethia mollis (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Jim Morefield via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.