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B. S. Walters head

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This species does not range as far west into the prairies as the others, but is the most common in southern Michigan, especially in calcareous places; prairies and similar grassy habitats (even conspicuous along roadsides), fens, railroad embankments.

The very large, vertical leaves (blade up to 3 dm broad on long petioles) make this a plant recognizable from a distance even without the tall (at least to 3.5 m) stem with large heads. The large woody taproot is likewise impressive.

A Menominee Co. collection (D. Henson 1573) found in a mixed colony of this species and S. laciniatum has leaves and phyllaries intermediate, and is presumably a hybrid.

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