Avalanche Lilies, Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana
When I mapped out our trip to Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, I planned to see moose, mountains, waterfalls, bison, wolves, and Native Americans riding bareback. While I was delighted to see all those sights, I was surprised to see thousands of wild flowers--many I had never seen before. So very early on, I decided to write a story about them and took oodles of photos and included some of them to share with you.
Near the melting snow at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, I was greeted with a blanket of Yellow Avalanche Lilies. They are actually western versions of the Trout Lilies that we find in New Hampshire in the spring. Unlike in the northeast, these lilies are eaten by grizzly bears who use their claws to dig up the bulbs. Native Americans would harvest the bulbs and boil them in stews. Meriweather Lewis wrote about this species in his journal in the spring of 1806. Think about the ancestors of these lilies living over 200 years ago.
The most unusual looking plant was prairie smoke. The flowers had faded and long strands of feather hairs blew in the breeze with a seed on each. These sun loving pollinators were a dreamy shade of pink.
Bear Grass was another favorite. These hardy plants sprout vigorously after forest fires and help the land recover. Grizzly bears eat the softer leaves in springtime and use the tough leaves in their winter dens during hibernation.
The bright yellow Western Goatsbeard reminds me of oversized Dandelions. They practice nyctinasy which means the flowers open at sunup and closed by noon to protect it from sun, bad weather, and hungry critters. To propagate, the plant catapults ripe seeds great distances to conquer new territories.
Scarlet Globe Mallow is an early season food for pronghorns and prairie dogs. This plant tolerates drought, sun, poor soil, wind, and extreme temperatures. Their deep taproot makes them virtually indestructible once they’re established.
Lupines are my favorite wild flower and I enjoyed them here at home this spring until they were past their bloom. Imagine my delight when I spotted thousands of them growing everywhere out west. These ladies were a lot shorter and more compact than their eastern cousins but equally beautiful. They are called Silky Lupine. One of their claims to fame is that they play vital hosts for the larvae of some endangered butterflies like the Silvery Blue.
Do we live in an amazing world or what!
Near the melting snow at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, I was greeted with a blanket of Yellow Avalanche Lilies. They are actually western versions of the Trout Lilies that we find in New Hampshire in the spring. Unlike in the northeast, these lilies are eaten by grizzly bears who use their claws to dig up the bulbs. Native Americans would harvest the bulbs and boil them in stews. Meriweather Lewis wrote about this species in his journal in the spring of 1806. Think about the ancestors of these lilies living over 200 years ago.
The most unusual looking plant was prairie smoke. The flowers had faded and long strands of feather hairs blew in the breeze with a seed on each. These sun loving pollinators were a dreamy shade of pink.
Bear Grass was another favorite. These hardy plants sprout vigorously after forest fires and help the land recover. Grizzly bears eat the softer leaves in springtime and use the tough leaves in their winter dens during hibernation.
The bright yellow Western Goatsbeard reminds me of oversized Dandelions. They practice nyctinasy which means the flowers open at sunup and closed by noon to protect it from sun, bad weather, and hungry critters. To propagate, the plant catapults ripe seeds great distances to conquer new territories.
Scarlet Globe Mallow is an early season food for pronghorns and prairie dogs. This plant tolerates drought, sun, poor soil, wind, and extreme temperatures. Their deep taproot makes them virtually indestructible once they’re established.
Lupines are my favorite wild flower and I enjoyed them here at home this spring until they were past their bloom. Imagine my delight when I spotted thousands of them growing everywhere out west. These ladies were a lot shorter and more compact than their eastern cousins but equally beautiful. They are called Silky Lupine. One of their claims to fame is that they play vital hosts for the larvae of some endangered butterflies like the Silvery Blue.
Do we live in an amazing world or what!
Prairie Smoke in Glacier National Park
Bear Grass in Montana
Western Goats Beard in Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana
Scarlet Globe Mallow in Custer State Park in South Dakota
Silky Lupines in Bozeman, Montana
Carpet of yellow flowers at Devil's Tower in Wyoming
Field of wildflowers in Sheridan, Wyoming
Field of wildflowers in Bozeman, Montana