About Ipomopsis congesta (Hook.) V.E.Grant
Ipomopsis congesta is a flowering plant species in the phlox family, commonly called ballhead ipomopsis. It is native to most of western North America, growing in a wide range of habitats from alpine peaks to low-elevation scrub. This perennial herb varies greatly in appearance, especially across different subspecies and climates. It can grow as a low, squat patch with stems shorter than 10 centimeters, or grow into a more upright form that reaches up to 30 centimeters tall. Stems are often hairy to woolly in texture. Its thick leaves are typically 1 to 4 centimeters long, and shaped like a fork with multiple claw-like lobes. Flowers grow in a rounded, dense cluster at the top of the stem. Each individual flower is bell-shaped to funnel-shaped, white with a pale yellow throat, and has protruding yellow or white stamens. There are multiple subspecies of this plant, and most of these subspecies were formerly classified as separate species within the genus Gilia.
