Jackson Hole Wildflowers
Wildflowers
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Breaking down the mountainside bouquet
There are many unique and wonderful things that accent the scenery in Jackson Hole, but the flowers that bloom as spring advances up the mountainsides are some of the most remarkable.
While these blossoms can leave visitors scratching their heads as to the flowers' origins, the following tips will help you identify many of the local wildflowers rather than passing by without comment. more info
Paintbrush palette
One of the most striking wildflowers in this area is Wyoming's state flower: the Indian Paintbrush. These look like fat brushes attached to green stalks that an artist has dipped in red paint.
Paintbrushes are found in the valley, canyon and alpine zones and bloom in June and July in valley. They come out higher and higher above the valley as the weather warms.
Indian Paintbrushes are semi-parasitic, meaning they make only a part of their food while stealing the rest by using their roots to penetrate the tissues of another plant such as sagebrush.
Colorful columbine
Columbine is another noteworthy flower that flourishes in the area. The blossoms are 1-3 inches wide and have a white to creme colored flower resting on a base of white, blue or occasionally red petal-like sepals. The five slender, green spurs that extend backward from the base of the flower area another of columbine's distinctive features.
Columbine are found in moist soil at elevations ranging from 6,000 to 11,000 feet above sea level and like to grow in rock slides, outcrops, shady aspen groves and ravines.
They flower from late June to August depending on the location.
Fire follower
Another important flower in the local landscape is fireweed, a wildflower whose name belies its beauty.
This is a tall plant with an elongated flower cluster of four-petaled bright pink or lilac-purple blossoms.
Fireweed blooms in the valley from mid-July through August and often invades areas where the soil has been disturbed by forest fire or cultivation.
Blues and yellow
Lupine is a flower to watch for as well. It has spikes of tiny blue flowers, and is found in the valley in June and July.
Balsamroot and mules-ears, distinguished by their bright yellow flowers with ray-like petals and yellow centers are two other flowers that are abundant in the area in June and July.
They can be distinguished from one another by looking at the leaves and flowering stalks. Mules-ears have many leaves on their flowering stalks, while balsamroots have few.
Additionally, balsamroot leaves are hairy while those of mules-ears appear glossy.
Check it out
There are so many other marvelous flowers that it would be impossible to catalogue them all here. For those interested, the National Park Service can provide a flyer with information on common plants in the Tetons.
There are also several guide books to Rocky Mountain wildflowers in general and Grand Teton and Yellowstone flowers in particular.
Finally, please remember to resist the urge to pick wildflowers so that everyone can enjoy them equally.
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