Yellow avalanche lilies, one of the first flowers to bloom after snow melt, were collected in Idaho during the Lewis and Clark expedition and described by Lewis as a reliable indication of the onset of spring
The Columbine was adopted as the Colorado state flower on April 4, 1899; it's a notoriously hardy flower that can tolerate extreme weather and depleted soil
Indian Paintbrush belongs to a genus of 200 species of partially or fully parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants
Blue Flax prefers drier conditions and is generally avoided by deer and elk
Bistort is in the Buckwheat family, a common alpine flower that favors damp soil near lakes and streams
Queen's Crown - Rhodiola rhodantha - is very similar in appearance and habitat to King's Crown; one primary distinction is the Queen's lighter color
Sunflowers belong to the genus Helianthus, which contains over 80 species
Elephants Head, a member of the figwort family (which also includes foxglove and snapdragons), favors damp alpine meadows
Aslike Clover (Trifolium Dasyphyllum)
Cliffrose are among the first plants to bloom in the lower Rockies
Lupine is a member of the pea family; its wide distribution can be attributed in part to its ability to fix nitrogen
Old Man of the Mountain is a diminutive sunflower found above treeline in the alpine tundra
Parry's Primrose is named after Charles C. Parry, an English physician of the 1800s who was the first botanist for the US Department of Agriculture
Bluebells or Chiming Bells (Mertensia genus) are common in damp subalpine areas; the flowers have both male and female organs
The Blanket Flower's Latin name is Gaillardia aristata; arist means bristle, a reference to the plant's hairy leaves and stem
Fireweed is named so for its tendency to be among the first plants to re-establish burned or disturbed areas
Like the Colorado Columbine, Red Columbine is a member of the buttercup family
Mountain Gentians are found in subalpine and alpine meadows; these late-season bloomers are considered an excellent remedy for stomach ailments
Mountain clover favors montane and subalpine meadows, and can generally tolerate both damp and dry conditions
The Navajo used Mountain Golden Banner to treat coughs and headaches
Harebell grows in a wide range of habitats (sun, shade, dry, damp) and can be found up to 12,000'
Indian Paintbrush is the state flower of Wyoming
A sunflower on the Mesa Trail in Boulder, Colorado
The Columbine Latin name is Aquilegia caerulea; the root word aquila means 'Eagle' and refers to the spurs at the base of the flower
Indian Paintbrush can be found throughout the Rockies and beyond, including deserts of the SW and rainforest regions of the Pac NW
The big root spring beauty has a long tap root that reaches down several feet to more nutrient rich soil
Though abundant throughout the lower-mid Rockies, deer will generally not eat geranium and flax
Mariposa Lily - mariposa is Spanish for Butterfly, a reference to the flower's inner markings
Aster is derived from the Latin word for 'star'
Yucca is found throughout the lowest and warmest Rocky Mountain regions, and is the state flower of New Mexico
Phototropic enzymes turn sunflower heads toward the sun
White Rose (Rosa acicularis)
Geranium or Hairy Evening Primrose (or other)?- help identify this flower using the comment box below!
Some Native American tribes boiled Prairie Smoke roots for tea and smoked them in a mix with other ingredients
Sugar Bowls inhabit grasslands and ponderosa forests on the Rockies' lower slopes
Gayfeathers bloom in mid June across the Rocky Mountain foothills
The scientific name for primrose (primula) comes from the latin word Primus, alluding to the plant's early bloom
A bee is covered in pollen of a Bristle Thistle on the Sourdough Trail in the Indian Peaks Wilderness
Dusky Beardtongue is a type of alpine penstemon
King's Crown above Lawn Lake on the way to 'The Saddle' in Rocky Mountain National Park
Like its domesticated cousin, Wild Rose stems are covered in thorns
Help us identify these flowers with the comment box below!
Moss Campion is a high-alpine cushion plant that may only bloom for several weeks during the peak of summer
Wild Blue Flax on the trail to Mirror Lake in the Gore Range
Native grassland blooms leading into the Colorado foothills on the Cowdrey Draw Trail
Though Wild Rose is generally easy to identify, specie identification can be very difficult
Salsify roots ooze a milky, latex-like subtance when cut or broken
Prickly Pear Cactus fruits are edible, commonly made into jellies and candy
Sneezeweed (Dugaldia or Helenium) refers to the allergic irritation caused by the pollen
Beehive Cactus
Red elderberry's stems, bark, leaves and roots contain cyanide-producing toxins, but berries may be consumed after cooking
Creeping Oregon-grape, also known as holly-grape, is a low lying, evergreen shrub whose leaves turn orange-yellow when photosynthesis stops through the winter months
Wild raspberries belong to the rose family, and can be found from damp stream beds to alpine talus slopes
Leading up to hibernation, bears can be active 18+ hours per day feeding on late summer berries
Rose hip, the fruit of rose plants found all along the Mesa corridor, contains vitamin A, D and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids
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