Winding Mariposa Lily - Calochortus flexuosus

 I was taken aback to see this delicate flower from the Lily Family (Liliaceae) gracing a dry, gravelly slope above a road cut. This is winding mariposa lily (Calochortus flexuosus), found in the southwestern U.S. Flower petals range from white to pink and have a band of yellow low on them.

Although I only found a few of these flowers scattered, they can grow in large numbers, as seen on the Southwest Colorado wildflowers page.

Toano Milkvetch - Astragalus toanus

I saw a pink flowering bush along the side of the road in southern Snake Valley and stopped to take a closer look. Imagine my surprise when I found little pea-like flowers on it! What kind of plant in the Pea Family (Fabaceae) grows in a bush? Turns out it's Toano milkvetch (Astragalus toanus). It only grows in a few western states, prefers the valley floors, and blooms in May and June.

To see the USDA Plants database entry on Toano milkvetch, click here.

Steptoe Valley Beardtongue - Penstemon immanifestus

 This beautiful pinkish penstemon is Steptoe Valley Beardtongue (Penstemon immanifestus), part of the Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae). It grows from 5,000 to 6,000 feet on sandy soils, and I found it near EskDale, Utah. It is only found in Utah and Nevada. It grows about one-foot tall, and flowers are over an inch long. Stems are glabrous (smooth), and the staminode (yellow part in flower above) is bearded (hairy).

Because of it's limited distribution, I couldn't find much info about it. Here's a link to the USDA Plants Database.

Anderson's Buttercup - Ranunculus andersonii

 This was my first native wildflower I saw this year. I didn't know what it was, which I have to admit, made it extra special. Thanks to my friend Glenn, I learned it's Anderson's buttercup (Ranunculus andersonii) a member of the Buttercup Family-Ranunculaceae.

 It grows in the western U.S. and prefers sagebrush areas. The petals can be white or pinkish. The stamens and pistils are yellow. The flower is borne on a leafless stalk. The leaves are usually in a basal rosette, with three double-lobed leaflets at the end of a petiole.


 For more info about Anderson's buttercup, click here.

It sure feels good to have a new flower to add to this blog!

Firecracker Penstemon - Penstemon eatonii

 I've been saving this flower for Fourth of July, as it's common name is Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii). It grows in the western U.S. in a variety of habitats.

 Flowers are bright red in narrow tubes.

For more info about firecracker penstemon (and how to use it in your water wise garden), click here.

Sagebrush Cholla - Grusonia pulchella

I got very excited when I saw a flash of pink and went over to examine it and found this jointed cactus. I believe it's sagebrush cholla (Grusonia pulchella). It grows primarily in Nevada, with a few in Utah and California.

It goes by several other scientific and common names, including sand cholla. I could only find two in the place I walked around. Both were small and indistinct, and I probably would have missed them if it weren't for the flower.

For more info about sagebrush cholla, click on this interesting link.

Globe Springparsley - Cymopterus globosus

 Well, this was an unexpected find as I was wandering around the desert this morning. I could tell it was in the Apiaceae family, likely a Cymopterus, but I had never seen one before with such a round, ball-like cluster of flowers. Turns out it's not in the Snake Range flora, so it took a bit of searching to track down as globe springparsley (Cymopterus globosus).

 I liked how these plants showed some of the variations in flower (white and pink) and leaf colors (bright green and gray green). This plant only grows in California, Nevada, and Utah, and likes lower elevations. I found these about 5,100 feet elevation.

 A closeup of the flowers/seeds reveals cool patterns.

For more info about globe springparsley, click here.

Lesser Indian Paintbrush-Castilleja minor

This paintbrush differs from others in the area in that it likes growing in wetlands or riparian areas, is an annual, and has a single stem. It's lesser Indian paintbrush (Castilleja minor formerly C. exilis). It grows in the western U.S. and Canada.

For more info on lesser Indian paintbrush, click here.

Thorn Skeletonweed-Pleiacanthus spinosus

I haven't seen many new plants blooming lately, so when I saw this one today, I was quite excited. It's thorn skeletonweed (Pleiacanthis spinosus, previously Stephanomeria spinosa), also called spiny skeletonweed. The plant is a wiry clump of thin stems and thorns, so the pinkish flowers are a bit of a surprise. It grows in much of the western U.S. and likes semi-arid habitats.

It's in the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae), one of the few pink flowers in the family.

For more info on thorn skeletonweed, click here.

Gooseberry Currant-Ribes montigeneum

This is a thorny currant that grows at middle and upper elevations called gooseberry currant (Ribes montigeneum). It grows in western North America, and a pretty pink flower blooms in spring and early summer. Later a red berry appears that is sought after by wildlife.
For more info about gooseberry currant, click here.

Barneby's Paintbrush-Castilleja scabrida var. barnebyana

This beautiful little paintbrush is Barneby's paintbrush (Castilleja scabrida var. barnebyana). It was about 10,000 feet high on limestone. It only grows in Nevada and Utah.

There's not much info about Barneby's paintbrush, but you can find a little here.

Bridge Penstemon-Penstemon rostriflorus

This bright red penstemon often growing in clusters is Bridge penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus), also called beaked penstemon because of the much longer upper petal. It grows in the Southwest at middle elevations.

For more info about Bridge penstemon, including how it got its name, click here.

Arizona Thistle-Cirsium arizonicum

For me, many of the thistles can be quite confusing, but fortunately this one is easy to tell apart because it's the only native one in the area. It's Arizona thistle (Cirsium arizonicum), native to California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona.

It grows from 6,500 to 10,100 feet in this area, and at lower elevations elsewhere, and on open, dry slopes.
For more information about Arizona thistle, click here.

Greenleaf Manzanita-Arctostaphylos patula

A common shrub from about 8,000 to 10,000 feet is greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), our only member of the Heath Family (Ericaceae) in this area. It is found throughout the western U.S.The shrub has brownish bark, and the thick leaves are simple and oval, about two inches long.
Small urn-shaped pink flowers give way to little green berries that turn redder/browner with age.
For more information about greenleaf manzanita, click here.

Wax Currant-Ribes cereum

This spreading bush with attractive leaves and whitish-pinkish flowers is wax currant (Ribes cereum), a member of the Goosefoot Family (Grossulariaceae). Later in the season, small berries appear that can be used to make jelly. Generally this bush grows from 6,000-9,000 feet in our area, but I found it next to a lake at 10,230 feet.

Here you can see the fan-shaped leaves and the flowers in clusters.
For more information about wax currant, click here.

Wyoming Indian Paintbrush-Castillja linariifolia

We saw lots of this beautiful Wyoming Indian paintbrush (Castilleja linariifolia) on a recent drive. It has narrow leaves and a corolla that projects down through the deeply cleft front side. It's found throughout the western U.S.

It grows from about 7,000 to 10,000 feet.

For more information about Wyoming Indian paintbrush, click here.

Spinystar-Escobaria vivipara

This stunning, low-growing cactus is called Spinystar by the USDA Plants database (Escobaria vivipara), formerly Coryphantha vivipara. Other common names include foxtail cactus, viviparous foxtail cactus, common pincushion cactus and beehive cactus.

Flowers appear in May and June. The bright pink flowers have many yellow anthers and stamens that extend far out of the flower. Later purplish fruits will develop on the barrel-like cacti. This cactus is found throughout western North America.

For more information about spinystar, click here.

Pink Alumroot-Heuchera rubescens

This attractive plant that grows on limestone soils from 6,500 to 11,500 feet is pink alumroot (Heuchera rubescens), a member of the Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae). It is found in the Intermountain West.

The pink flowers are small, with white at the tips and are found branching off long petioles.

For more information about pink alumroot, click here.

Saltcedar-Tamarix ramosissima

This shrub/tree with the pretty pink flowers is actually a big pain in the butt throughout many of the southern states in the U.S. This is saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), also called tamarisk. It is the only member in its family, the Tamarisk Family (Tamaricaceae) found here. It is native to Eurasia.

Saltcedar can be deciduous or evergreen and grow up to 20 feet tall. The bark is redddish brown and the leaves are small and scale-like. The flowers are tiny and pink and 5-petalled. Saltcedar was brought to the U.S. as an ornamental, but escaped and became naturalized along streams, canals, and reservoirs. It likes salty soils and can actually increase the salt content in the soil it's growing in, thus not allowing other plants to grow there. It has been successfully removed in many areas by a small beetle that eats it.
For more information about salt cedar, click here.

Parry's Primrose-Primula parryi

This striking magenta flower found at higher elevations and often near water is Parry's primrose (Primula parryi), a member of the Primrose Family (Primulaceae). 

Most of them have finished flowering for this year, leaving the leafy vegetation behind.

But I looked all around and managed to find a few flowers still hanging on. This flower lends so much color to the sub-alpine and alpine scenery. It also stands out because it is so large compared to much of the higher elevation vegetation, much of which has shrunken in size to deal with the harsher growing conditions.

For more information about Parry's primrose, click here.