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.
Thumb	Species	Characteristics
	Aquilegia caerulea Colorado blue columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Shade Water: Moist
	Arnica cordifolia Heart-leaf leopardbane, Heartleaf arnica	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Moist
	Balsamorhiza sagittata Arrowleaf balsamroot, Arrow-leaf balsamroot	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Moist
	Calochortus nuttallii Sego lily, Mariposa lily, Sego-lily	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Caltha leptosepala Elkslip, White marsh marigold, White marsh-marigold	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Wet
	Campanula rotundifolia Bluebell bellflower, Bluebell-of-Scotland, Harebell	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade Water: Dry
	Cardamine cordifolia Heartleaf bittercress	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Shade Water:
	Castilleja rhexiifolia Splitleaf Indian paintbrush, Rosy indian-paintbrush	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Dry
	Chamerion angustifolium Fireweed, Willow herb	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Water:
	Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda Shrubby cinquefoil, Golden-hardhack	Duration: Perennial Habit: Shrub Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Delphinium barbeyi Subalpine larkspur	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Shade Water:
	Dodecatheon pulchellum Darkthroat shooting star, Few-flower shooting star, Western shooting star	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Moist
	Erysimum capitatum Prairie rocket, Sand-dune wallflower, Sanddune wallflower, Western wallflower	Duration: Biennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Gaillardia aristata Common gaillardia, Great blanketflower, Blanketflower, Brown-eyed susan	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Gentiana calycosa Rainier pleated gentian	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Moist
	Ipomopsis aggregata Scarlet gilia, Scarlet standing-cypress, Skyrocket, Skunkflower	Duration: Biennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Dry
	Lewisia rediviva Bitter root, Oregon bitter-root	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water:
	Linum lewisii Wild blue flax, Prairie flax, Lewis flax	Duration: Perennial Habit: Subshrub Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Lupinus sericeus Silky lupine	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade Water: Moist, Dry
	Mertensia ciliata Mountain bluebells, Tall fringe bluebells, Tall fringed bluebells	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Wet
	Mimulus lewisii Great purple monkey-flower, Lewis monkey-flower, Purple monkeyflower	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water: Wet
	Monarda fistulosa Wild bergamot, Beebalm	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun, Part-shade Water: Moist, Dry
	Orthocarpus luteus Yellow owl's-clover	Duration: Annual Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water:
	Pedicularis groenlandica Elephanthead lousewort	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Moist
	Penstemon angustifolius Broad-beard beardtongue, Broadbeard beardtongue, Whorled penstemon	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water:
	Phacelia sericea Purplefringe, Silky phacelia	Duration: Biennial Habit: Herb Light: Part-shade Water:
	Phlox pulvinata Cushion phlox	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Water:
	Phyllodoce empetriformis Pink mountain heath, Pink mountain heather	Duration: Perennial Habit: Shrub Light: Part-shade Water: Moist
	Primula parryi Parry's primrose	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Water:
	Pulsatilla patens Eastern pasqueflower, American Pasqueflower	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Dry
	Ranunculus eschscholtzii Eschscholtz's buttercup, Subalpine Buttercup	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water:
	Scabrethia scabra ssp. scabra Badlands mule-ears	Duration: Perennial Habit: Subshrub Light: Water:
	Sedum lanceolatum Lanceleaf Stonecrop, Spearleaf stonecrop	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water:
	Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum Western mountain aster	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Water:
	Tetraneuris grandiflora Alpine sunflower, Graylocks four-nerve daisy, Old-man-of-the-mountain, Rydbergia	Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Light: Sun Water: Moist

Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains