Common Name: Woolly coneflower.
This plant is endemic to Western Ghats and is generally seen in altitudes above 2000 msl. The plant is shrub-size and forms a neat one meter high dome shape. The branches are tetragonal in shape. The entire plant is cottony and wooly. The leaves are elliptic-ovate and rounded at base. The flowers are blue in color. The leaves often mature to have a silvery hue around them. The flower along with the bract wilts to a golden color. The plant looks very attractive and is a preferred choice in landscaping. However, the negative side is that the plant perishes after flowering. This plant has excellent ornamental potential which largely remains untapped in India. In the wild this plant can be seen around Mukruthi forest range in the Nilgiri District. This plant was encountered in SIMS Park in Coonnor, Nilgiris. It has perished since flowering.
