White Heath Aster, Many-flowered Aster,Symphyotrichum ericoides,Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)

Found in dry to moist soil, roadsides
Seen blooming in September by Hwy 554

You know that summer is coming to an end when the asters start blooming. The purple Tansyasters and Golden Asters (in photo) are in abundance and bright amongst them is the White Heath Aster. It grows to 3 feet tall with twisted, woody stems and narrow, pointed leaves, as in heaths. The flower heads are smaller than the other asters, about ½ inch across. The centers of the flower heads turn reddish-brown with age. As many as 100 flowers on a plant grow in a crowded, cylindrical spike or a one-sided cluster. Asters were used by several Native American tribes for a variety of purposes. White Heath in particular was used as a smoke-producing plant in sweat baths, for curing snake bites and for reviving an unconscious person. 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 contact@rockymountainsflora.com. Read online for tips.