Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Above: Lower Calico Trail, May 15, 2020 and Upper Calico Trailhead, June 26, 2015.
Left: Lower Stoner Mesa Trail, May 25, 2004.

A large colony of tall plants with elongated yellow flower clusters and three-parted leaves is easy to spot and identify; you are looking at the common and lovely Golden Banner. The plants grow quickly after snow melt and by late spring large colonies are in bloom under Aspens. Like so many plants that form large colonies, Golden Banner spreads from underground roots. Thermopsis montana enjoys cool, moist forests and is often surrounded by lush vegetation. 

Thomas Nuttall, famed 19th century collector, taxonomist, and teacher, collected this species in Wyoming in 1834 on the Wyeth Expedition.

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Lower Stoner Mesa Trail, May 25, 2004.

Golden Banner is also known as "False Lupine" because the pea-shaped flowers of Golden Banner and Lupine are similar.  The genus name even recognizes this similarity: "thermos" is Greek for "Lupine" and "opsis" is Greek for "similar".

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Upper Calico Trailhead, June 26, 2015 and Bear Creek Trail, May 19, 2022.

Sepals are a fuzzy mass of hairs.

The long, thin, blue/green seed pods project vertically from the stem and are covered with downy hair. The pods grow quickly in the late spring and early summer, and they mature in late summer. In this photograph one can still see the dried, papery floral parts clinging to the seed pods.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Thermopsis montana