Special Collections
Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains
The 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.Printer Friendly: Species List | List with Images | List with QR Tags to Mobile
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |
Aquilegia coerulea | Colorado Blue Columbine Rocky Mountain Columbine | |
Arnica cordifolia | Heartleaf Arnica Heart-leaf Leopardbane | |
Balsamorhiza sagittata | Arrowleaf Balsamroot Arrow-leaf Balsamroot | |
Cardamine cordifolia | Heartleaf Bittercress | |
Caltha leptosepala | White Marsh-marigold Elks-lip | |
Calochortus nuttallii | Sego Lily Mariposa Lily Sego-lily | |
Castilleja rhexiifolia | Splitleaf Indian Paintbrush Rosy Indian Paintbrush | |
Campanula rotundifolia | Bluebell Bellflower Bluebell Of Scotland Bluebell Harebell Witches' Thimble | |
Chamerion angustifolium | Fireweed Willow Herb Great Willow Herb | |
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda | Shrubby Cinquefoil Golden Hardhack Potentilla | |
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |