Scarlet Gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata.

Name: Scarlet Gilia or Skyrocket Gilia

Scientific name: Ipomopsis aggregata

This is the last article for the “blooming season” this year, and I thought I’d highlight a spectacular, bright flower.

Although this plant doesn’t look anything like phlox, it is a good candidate for “show-off” of the Phlox Family. It is eye-catching from a fast-moving car even though it is usually only one foot tall with a single stem. The lower third of the stem has interesting, branching, string-like leaves, but I’ll bet most people don’t pay much attention to the leaves.

Scarlet Gilia is found in open or lightly wooded, rocky slopes and drier meadows, from lowlands to high elevations. It ranges east of the Cascade summits from British Columbia to Mexico, and east to Montana, Colorado and Texas. There are 10 subspecies or varieties of this plant; only two are in the Blues: subspecies aggregata (pictured here) and subspecies formosissima. Subspecies aggregata is bright red and sometimes spotted with white; subspecies formosissima has anthers exerted from the trumpet-shaped flower, which is 30 to 45 mm long.

Many western Indian tribes have used this plant for several purposes. Medicinal uses include treating mothers following a birth, and for treating spider bites, high fevers, rheumatism, colds, and to make one vomit. It was used as a laxative, an eye wash, a blood tonic, a disinfectant wash to relieve itching, and to treat venereal disease. Other uses include boiling the whole plant to make glue, or to make a drink. Children sucked nectar from the flowers. It was also used as a decoration, and for good luck in hunting.

Where to find: In the Blues, the plant is easy to find at middle to upper elevations in mid-summer.