Wildflowers, Pink Pg3

Dwarf Clover -or- Deer Clover (Trifolium nanum), family Fabaceae (Pea). Of the 300 species in the genus Trifolium the distribution of this memeber is rather small, being found only 5 states in the US. The plant is a perennial subshrub. From WIKIPEDIA: 'The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics. They are small annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial herbaceous plants'. End quote. This species of Trifolium is not known for uses by Native Amreicans. A number of clovers make good tea. Plant location: We saw this specimen at the top of Mt Evans Colorado on July 20, 2008. This plant grows in rocky ridges, meadows, gravelly slopes. The five states that host Dwarf Clover are Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming - subalpine and alpine zones. Bloom season: June and July.
Begonia Dock (Rumex venosus), family Polygonaceae (Buckwheat). With it's large showy petals and beautiful color, this plant offers a lovely sight even though they are low to the ground. We saw none that were over 6 or 7" tall. Plant location: Seen near the trailhead of Pawnee Butte Trail #840, Weld County Colorado. The date was June 4, 2009. The plants also were blooming right off the actual trailhead. Bloom season: Unknown.
Bristle Thistle (Carduus nutans), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower). Plant location: Creedmore Lakes area on August 31, 2008. Bloom season: Summer
Colorado Loco -or- Purple Loco (Oxytropis lambertii), family Fabaceae (Pea). Plant location: Seen in a Boulder County Open Space Colorado. Marshall Valley Trail on May 18, 2009. Bloom season: April to August
Parry Clover (Trifolium parryi), family Fabaceae (Pea). Plant location: We saw this specimen on road to the top of Mt Evans Colorado on July 20, 2008, the little lake area. Bloom season: July to September.
Crown Vetch (Securigera varia), family Fabaceae (Pea). Plant location: Northglenn Colorado - our very own back yard :) Photographed on July 12, 2009. We did not cultivate this plant. It came up on it's own. What a lovely surprise the flowers were. Bloom season: June to September. Foliage growth pattern follows the typical 'ladder' formation of the leaves along the stems.
Cascade Huckleberry (Vaccinium deliciosum), family Heath (Ericaceae). These delicate flowers are beautiful and boy do they turn into something good to eat - the berries are sooo yummy! The plants grow in an elevation from 2000' to 7000'. WIKIPEDIA offers this technical information: 'Vaccinium is a genus of shrubs in the plant Family Ericaceae including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry or whortleberry, cowberry or lingonberry, and huckleberry. The genus contains about 450 species, which are found mostly in the cooler areas of the Northern Hemisphere, although there are tropical species from as widely separated areas as Madagascar and Hawai'i. The plants prefer heath landscapes, as well as open forests. The name Vaccinium was used for a type of berry (probably the bilberry V. myrtillus) in classical Latin, but its ultimate derivation is obscure; it has nothing to do with vaccinum "of or pertaining to cows", but may be a corruption of Latin bacca, berry. The fruit develops from an inferior ovary, and is a false berry.' End quote. Last year we harvested huckleberries from a couple of locations in Washington state. The most tasty were from the Mt Baker area, hiking the Railroad Grade. Go there, you won't be disappointed! Plant location: These lovely bells were sighted hiking the Bench Lake Trailhead at Mt Rainier in Washington state. The date was July 4, 2007. Bloom period: June through August, with beautiful fall foliage later in the season
Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri), family Scrophulariaceae (Figwort). Lovely lovely!!! This is one of the few penstemons that are fragrant. Another name is Scented Beardtongue. It is named after Ernest Palmer. Plant location: Hwy 130 towards Saratoga Wyoming, on July 21, 2009. It is found in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, NV, UT, WA, WY. This find was part of our Roaming in Wyoming trip to the Medicine Bow National Forest. Try the Sugarloaf campground in the park and hike to the shelf lakes. Outstanding! As of 1997 the state of Idaho seeded these plants along highways for beautification where the plants are considered to have become naturalized. Bloom season: Said to bloom from May to June. Our finding was on July 21, 2009. Per Dr. Dee Strickler the species blooms in June and July.
Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum), family Fabaceae (Pea). Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Colorado state at Hwy 72 and Plainview Road. The date was July 11, 2008. Another sighting of Alsike CLover was in Yellowstone National Park on August 29, 2009. This plant view is from that specimen. The elevation was 8817'. GPS coordinates N44°46.771 W110°27.399. Bloom season: June to October.
Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria), family Caryophyllaceae (Pink). This pretty little bloom was a serious surprise along with a good number of other species in this location. The conditions were seemingly less than er...prime...being in close proximity to an active hot springs area in Yellowstone National Park. The smell of sulfur was strong in the air yet many plants were in bloom! Per WIKIPEDIA: It is widely grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Populations have been introduced to and have become naturalised in New Zealand and much of North America.[5] Deptford Pink is also sometimes called mountain pink, but this may refer to several different species. End quote. Plant location: Yellowstone National Park on August 28, 2009. Elevation 7326'. GPS coordinates N44°29.148 W110°51.409. Bloom season: Unknown
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), family Fabaceae (Pea). I know, it doesn't look very red does it? Never does :) The foliage is faintly marked as well. Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Colorado state at Hwy 72 and Plainview Road. The date was July 11, 2008. Bloom season: May to September.
Brook Saxifrage (Saxifraga odontoloma), family Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage). These small treasures were the culmination of plants about 18" tall very close to a small creek. The blooms were so miniature that they almost disappeared. This was our first sighting of these delicate and very beautiful flowers, what a treat to see them. Plant location: The awesome Yellowstone National Park on August 29, 2009. The plant was located at GPS coordinates N44°47.468 W110°26.819, elevation 8860'. It was almost dwarfed by Lewis Monkeyflowers still also in bloom at the same spot. Bloom season: Variable, as early as March in some areas.
Moss Campion (Silene acaulis), family Caryophyllaceae (Pink). Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain National Park on July 17, 2008. Bloom season: June to August.
Bladder Campion -or- Maidens tears (Silene vulgaris), family Caryophyllaceae (Pink). This elegant flower was a marvelous delight when we were lucky enough to see it in the fading light of dusk. The exposure of the photos has been increased to show the views at their best. Beautiful! We have not found them to be common but the USDA Plant Database shows them spread all throughout the United States. The plants contain the substance saponin. Per the website Plants for a Future is this: 'Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish. Young shoots and leaves - raw or cooked. The young leaves are sweet and very agreeable in salads. The cooked young shoots, harvested when about 5cm long, have a flavour similar to green peas but with a slight bitterness. This bitterness can be reduced by blanching the shoots as they appear from the ground. When pureed it is said to rival the best spinach purees. The leaves can also be finely chopped and added to salads. The leaves should be used before the plant starts to flower.' End quote. Plant location: Seen on the beautiful Beartooth Highway (Montana side) near Yellowstone National Park. August 30, 2009. Elevation 9110'. GPS coordinates: N44°56.518 W109°35.089. Bloom season: June to September.
Prairie Smoke -or- Old Man's Whiskers -or- Torch Flower -or- Pink Plumes (Erythrocoma triflora), family Rosaceae (Rose). Plant location: Cottonwood Pass (Granby area) Colorado on May 27, 2009. Bloom season: Midspring to Midsummer.
Plant location: Bloom season: