Spring Wildflowers

Every year I look forward to seeing what flowers will emerge as the weather turns warm. This year, I’ve been amazed by what seems, to me, to be an increased variety in wildflower species. Here are some of my favorite wildflower photos from this spring.

Though it wasn’t a super-bloom year, the hillside poppies and lupines bloomed in abundance.

Here’sthe seaside woolly sunflower. How’s that for a name? It’s a species native to the coastlines of Oregon and California and one I’m not sure I had noticed before.

Another native CA species, this is the denseflower Indian paintbrush. It’s also called owl’s clover and grows from 4” - 16” tall. These were still rather diminutive.

I love prairie mallow wherever it grows. Something about the hot pink fuchsia color just makes me smile.

Taking a picture of these blue alpine phacelia gave me an excuse to stop and catch my breath on a hike. These endemic Western wildflowers, also called purple fringe, are often found above the tree line decorating rocky, alpine environments.

Not only do these oneflower helianthella make a lovely foreground for the Tetons, they also provide food for a variety of creatures. They are a pollen source for many bees, including the native mason bee; deer eat the plants; and, birds and small mammals eat the seeds.

Last, but most certainly not least, is the western columbine. These gorgeous blossoms were spotted along a back country trail. The white coloration is probably the result of a hybridization with other columbine species. Most western columbine are bright yellow or fire-engine red. These look delicate and elegant, but must be pretty hardy to survive the variable mountain weather.