Wildflowers of the Rocky MountainsThe distribution of vegetation in the Rocky Mountains correlates directly to elevational changes, which influence the temperature and availability of moisture. Different plant communities characterize each zone (such as foothill, montane, subalpine, and alpine) from the base of a mountain to the top, and each zone may contain several types of plant communities. More than 5,000 plant species occur in the Rocky Mountains. The wildflowers begin to bloom in early spring, as soon as the snow starts to melt. The peak bloom season is mid-summer. This collection highlights some of the most common wildflowers found in the Rocky Mountains. |
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Scientific Name | Common Name | Duration | Habit | Sun | Water |
Aquilegia coerulea | Colorado Blue Columbine, Rocky Mountain Columbine | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |
Arnica cordifolia | Heartleaf Arnica, Heart-leaf Leopardbane | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist |
Balsamorhiza sagittata | Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Arrow-leaf Balsamroot | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Moist |
Calochortus nuttallii | Sego Lily, Mariposa Lily, Sego-lily | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Dry |
Caltha leptosepala | White Marsh-marigold, Elks-lip | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Wet |
Campanula rotundifolia | Bluebell Bellflower, Bluebell Of Scotland, Bluebell, Harebell, Witches' Thimble | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Dry |
Cardamine cordifolia | Heartleaf Bittercress | Perennial | Herb | Shade | |
Castilleja rhexiifolia | Splitleaf Indian Paintbrush, Rosy Indian Paintbrush | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Dry |
Chamerion angustifolium | Fireweed, Willow Herb, Great Willow Herb | Perennial | Herb | ||
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda | Shrubby Cinquefoil, Golden Hardhack, Potentilla | Perennial | Shrub | Sun | Dry |
Delphinium barbeyi | Subalpine Larkspur | Perennial | Herb | Shade | |
Dodecatheon pulchellum | Darkthroat Shooting Star, Few-flower Shooting Star, Western Shooting Star | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist |
Erysimum capitatum | Sand-dune Wallflower, Western Wallflower, Prairie Rocket | Biennial | Herb | Sun | Dry |
Gaillardia aristata | Common Gaillardia, Great Blanketflower, Blanketflower, Brown-eyed Susan | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Dry |
Gentiana calycosa | Rainier Pleated Gentian | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist |
Ipomopsis aggregata | Scarlet Gilia, Scarlet Standing-cypress, Skyrocket, Skunkflower | Biennial | Herb | Part-shade | Dry |
Lewisia rediviva | Bitter Root, Oregon Bitter-root | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | |
Linum lewisii | Wild Blue Flax, Prairie Flax, Lewis Flax, Lewis's Flax | Perennial | Subshrub | Sun | Dry |
Lupinus sericeus | Silky Lupine | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Mertensia ciliata | Tall Fringed Bluebells, Tall Fringe Bluebells, Mountain Bluebells | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Wet |
Mimulus lewisii | Purple Monkeyflower, Great Purple Monkeyflower, Lewis Monkeyflower, Lewis's Monkeyflower | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Wet |
Monarda fistulosa | Wild Bergamot, Beebalm | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Orthocarpus luteus | Yellow Owl's-clover | Annual | Herb | Sun | |
Pedicularis groenlandica | Elephanthead Lousewort | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Moist |
Penstemon angustifolius | Broadbeard Penstemon, Broadbeard Beardtongue, Whorled Penstemon, Whorled Beardtongue | Perennial | Herb | Sun | |
Phacelia sericea | Silky Phacelia, Purple Fringe | Biennial | Herb | Part-shade | |
Phlox pulvinata | Cushion Phlox | Perennial | Herb | ||
Phyllodoce empetriformis | Pink Mountain Heath, Pink Mountain Heather | Perennial | Shrub | Part-shade | Moist |
Primula parryi | Parry's Primrose | Perennial | Herb | ||
Pulsatilla patens | Eastern Pasqueflower, American Pasqueflower | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Dry |
Ranunculus eschscholtzii | Eschscholtz's Buttercup, Subalpine Buttercup | Perennial | Herb | Sun | |
Scabrethia scabra ssp. scabra | Badlands Mule-ears | Perennial | Herb, Subshrub | ||
Sedum lanceolatum | Spearleaf Stonecrop, Lanceleaf Stonecrop | Perennial | Herb | Sun | |
Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum | Western Mountain Aster | Perennial | Herb | ||
Tetraneuris grandiflora | Graylocks Four-nerve Daisy, Old-man-of-the-mountain, Alpine Sunflower, Rydbergia, Bitterweed | Perennial | Herb | Sun | Moist |