Only on sunny mornings the flowers of Yellow Goat's Beard
(Tragopogon pratensis) do open.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2fCFe1pqehXfMU_qRSi2oynHpIio69bN3b2H9B29o80yjPw8aq4wfNobfGccUe7B6JbqfY0qs-avaeLvaq00IzK2VpvCQDcSagiMJhCh5uKRT1TS2A1B2qAN-CS5usrC2XpCCdMBMBF2/s400/tragopogon+pratensis,+vlieg+%281007%29a-600-8.jpg)
Here is one with some visitors.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFf2_uN6KA_IcjvdVT8qP_3hmCZcYLmDg8FldhGQW6aD_E40CIqZILk_i4suvjD0vFtLPe4KfzkK64ZHAq6sPS9Y9hRsfcxBgbzeJiGpE6vJii9lLydhR9mlhBt48ZPrP7WXEeFg9V4qS/s400/tragopogon+pratensis+%281015%29a-sf-600-8ss.jpg)
Like other members of the family of Asteraceae, the Yellow Goat's Beard
produces seeds with a fluffy umbrella to be carried away on the wind.
The flowerheads have changed now into fuzzy tennis balls.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkBnZIuZvOYViL65iNlWcoNUoOiexeXQd8l0pSwYj1z200PuaWbT-tYk_ln50tHa9ihhU2-_P-HGIERSBOlhCgWRDfD-tKlzdKyj_ppYFsGvy1gdqwxg5CH6N09c-Nzp46Eu5jnCruE23/s400/tragopogon+pratensis+%281021%29b-sf-600-8ss.jpg)
They are so large you can distinguish the small features of each
umbrella. It has a seed for a handle, and the ribs are woven together
with thin, spiderweb-like tissue.