Mule s Ears are abundant and conspicuous, often growing in huge colonies, sometimes covering acres. Mule s Ears prefer meadows but are also found in forest openings.
Flower stems are up to several feet tall.
The long narrow leaves were thought to resemble like Mule s ears. Nathaniel Wyeth was an early western explorer. All three are very similar in appearance. W. arizonica has very hairy leaves and stems, W. amplexicaulis is smooth, and W. x magna can be either. Mesa Verde National Park near entrance, May 8, 2001.