Found in sandy, rocky areas, piñon-juniper woodlands
Seen in October at Ghost Ranch

The last blog for this season is one of the several species of sagebrush that grow in our area.  They all tend to grow in colonies, covered in silvery hairs and have tiny, inconspicuous yellow flower heads crowded along the stem. Bigelow’s Sagebrush looks like a miniature Big Sagebrush but it only grows one to two feet wide and high with a rounded compact shape, compared to Big Sagebrush which can spread several feet high and wide. The silvery-green leaves are up to one inch long and have three teeth or a point at the tip. They are pleasantly aromatic when crushed. It is unique from other sagebrush by sometimes having a few ray flowers in its flower heads. Specific uses of Bigelow’s Sagebrush by Native Americans are unknown but the closely related Big Sagebrush was used by many tribes to treat colds, coughs, pneumonia, rheumatism, fevers and diarrhea. It was commonly burned as a smudge to cleanse the air, for ritual purification, and to promote good health. It was also an important source of soap/disinfectant, and food (seeds), and was used to start a fire and for weaving mats and clothing. Source. 

If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.   

Found on dry slopes, in canyons, forests
Seen blooming in late September by El Rito in Carson NF

Tasselflower is a shrubby plant growing one to three feet tall. It has distinctive large triangular leaves with pointed tips and nodding, tassel-like, cream colored flower heads. Flowers are up to 2 inches long and have no petals, only disk flowers. It blooms from July through October at elevations up to 10,000 feet. Traditionally, leaves were used medicinally as an antirheumatic, a liver medicine, to treat flatulence, overeating, headaches, and influenza. The seeds are said to be poisonous by one tribe but were also made into a meal to improve cakes by the same tribe. The plant was used ceremonially and the branches used to make brooms. Source. 
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If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.