SEASON OF HOPE, Spring Wildflowers in Rocky Mountain National Park

by Marlene Borneman

One of my favorite quotes: 

                            Where
                                    flowers
                          bloom,
                                   so does
                         hope.
                             -Lady Bird Johnson

In this time of uncertainty, I need something reliable and upbeat to look forward to in the near future.  My husband and I have cancelled our spring trips to California and Arizona.  So, I decided to focus on getting out and searching for early budding native plants.  Thoughts of blooming wildflowers bestow on my soul an absolute sense of peace and joy. Vivid memories of past wildflower seasons energize me while providing some normalcy to my “new” routine. In this stay-at-home environment we find ourselves in,  I’m getting out my notes jogging my memory about what will be blooming when and where in the coming weeks in and near RMNP.   Our native wildflowers will come up no matter what and not disappoint. I remind myself that native plants are resourceful, resilient, hardy  and persistent.

​ Of course, I’m getting out in the field to keep checking on the progress of blooms. Don’t despair with the closure of Rocky Mountain National Park. There are plenty of spots to explore right outside the park, open spaces, along bike/trail paths, your yard and national forest that surrounds the Estes Valley.  Settle in and order a few flower identification guidebooks, one to identify by color and one with keys. Study leaf shapes and arrangements. Get to know the characteristics of the ten BIG families in RMNP, then you will be able to identify most of the plants in RMNP and surrounding areas. What do I mean by “BIG” families?  The “BIG” flower families are the ones with the most species in an area.  Sunflower, Mustard, Pea, Parsley, Mint, Buckwheat, Rose, Buttercup, Plantain, and Broomrape are BIG Families in Rocky.  An example, four petals in a cross shape is a characteristic of the Mustard Family.

You will be so prepared for summer with the hope of exploring in Rocky once again.  For ​now, I’m good with searching for those first flowers of the season wherever I can. Here are a few common spring wildflowers you can start looking for now through June.

Pasque flowers (Anemone  patens), a member of the Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae), are one of the first flowers to pop up.  These lavender/bluish flowers have been called “April fools,” perhaps because they bloom about April 1 and then at times are snowed under and disappear!  Anemone is from Greek meaning “wind.”  Pasque flowers petals and feathery soft hairs certainly do “move about” from side to side in the cool spring winds. Patens, latin for “spreading," maybe given due to the plants ability to spread over large areas. ​

Pasque Flowers. Photo: M. Borneman

Western Spring Beauty. Photo M. Borneman

The delicate Western Spring Beauty ( Claytonia lanceolate) is a member of the Miner’s Lettuce Family (Montiaceae). In the spring, Western Spring Beauty enjoys the woodlands with colors  of white, pink or rose.  You can also find Western Spring Beauty blooming all summer long in the sub-alpine and alpine zones.  A little history about the uses of this plant: Spring Beauty has underground tubers and I have read that Native Americans would cook these tubers for food, tasting much like potatoes. I would refrain from eating any of our native plants and enjoy them for their beauty, not taste.  Remember, it is illegal to disturb any flora in RMNP.  ​​

From the Iris Family is the striking purple-blue Rocky Mountain Iris. The spectacular sight of a field of Rocky Mountain Iris (Iris missouriensis) is common in moist meadows and aspen forest. You may be even lucky enough to spot a rare white-colored Rocky Mountain Iris. This is one of those flowers where it is difficult to distinguish the petals from the sepals (the under part of the flower , usually green). ​

Rare White Rocky Mountain Iris. Photo: M. Bornemen

Rocky Mountain Iris. Photo: M. Borneman

When petals and sepals are the same color and similar shape the term “tepals” is used.  The three outer tepals (sepals) are streaked with yellow and curve downward. The three inner tepals (petals) are solid color and stick up. I have read that the Paiute tribes used the root to make a pulp for toothaches placing it directly on the gums.  Another use was to soak the roots with animal bile in making a poison mixture on tips of arrows.

You will find the Easter Daisy (Townsendia exscapa, Sunflower Family - Asteraceae)  hugging the ground  around Easter time, thus the common name Easter Daisy.  They present with white-pinkish daisy-like flowers on top of green-grayish leaves. There are at least two species that grow in RMNP:  Townsendia hookeri  and   Townsdendia   exscapa. 
​Hooker’s Easter Daisy (T.hookeri) has small flowers and the bracts (a modified leaf under the flower head) are covered with a tuft of tangled hairs on margins. 

Easter Daisy with bee and Hairstreak butterfly. Photo: M. Borneman

The Stemless Easter Daisies ( T. exscapa) have larger flowers and lack the mass of hairy tufts on the bracts. The bright white flowers are easy to spot on sunny hillsides. I find it satisfying to identify a plant with confidence.

​Be inspired to use this time for learning Colorado native wildflowers and get out where you can in search of promising displays of native plants.  Remember, we live in a mind-blowing part of the world.  Take pleasure in Colorado’s sunshine, experience the challenge of botanizing  all while exercising your mind and body.  Please keep in mind you don’t have to be a botanist to use botany.  Don’t forget your camera, hand lens and wildflower guidebooks on your explorations.  

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You can purchase these outstanding Wildflower Identification guidebook from:
Rocky Mountain Conservancy, click here.
Colorado Mountain Club, click here.

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