Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: Bigelow's tansy aster, sticky aster

Family: Asteraceae (Aster)

Synonym: Aster bigelovii, Machaeranthera bigelovii

Distribution: Western United States, Southwestern Canada

Habitat: Grasslands, scrublands, woodland openings, riparian zones

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5 (-20 to -10 °F)

Life form: Biennial/short-lived plant

Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant

Growing Conditions: This widespread aster-like wildflower grows from the deserts of southern New Mexico northward. Throughout its range, it is common along roadsides, in grasslands and sagebrush scrublands, in openings in piñon-juniper or conifer woodlands, or along streams. It grows in sandy or alkaline soils, and is common in alluvial soils.