nutrient poor soils

Showing 25–36 of 66 results

  • Erythranthe guttata / seep monkeyflower

    • yellow flowers with red spots in clumps of 5 or more
    • flowers large for the plant, but otherwise "normal" size
    • two "lips" - lower lip larger than upper, each with 2 petals
    • found in wetlands of all kinds

  • Festuca idahoensis / Idaho fescue

    • a bunchgrass growing in very dense clumps
    • over-winters green; an early green grass in spring
    • green to blue-green to silvery green leaves
    • individual flowers in clusters of hairy spikelets on branched panicles; very dark purple or green
    • seeds have large spines (awns) at the tips

  • Gaillardia aristata / common blanketflower

    • bright red petals with yellow tips, or yellow petals the whole way
    • reddish brown central disk
    • attractive yellow seed balls with tufts of red hair all over
    • leathery, slightly hairy leaves

  • Hedysarum occidentale / western sweetvetch

    • tall legume with hot pink flowers
    • inflorescence several inches long; up to 80 flowers
    • pinnately compound leaves with 9-21, inch-long leaflets
    • higher elevations on drier, more rocky soils

  • Heterotheca villosa / hairy goldenaster

    • yellow composite with 10-20 ray florets, orange-brown disk
    • hairy leaves and stems
    • blooms throughout season, often densely
    • disturbed and challenging habitats

  • Ipomopsis aggregata / scarlet gilia

    • bright red (usually), elongated, trumpet-like flowers; 5 petals
    • late season (July, August) flowers may be white
    • highly divided, comb-like leaves
    • pollination by hummingbirds (red forms) and moths (white, late forms)
    • smells bad but tastes good

  • Juniperus scopulorum / Rocky Mountain juniper

    • small, rounded evergreen tree (or shrub)
    • fibrous, red to grey, shredded bark
    • pollen and seed cones at branch tips on separate plants
    • female cones blue berries with a waxy, whitish bloom
    • leaves on mature plants scale-like
    • leaves on young plants are prickly, needle-like

  • Koeleria macrantha / Prairie Junegrass

    • short, tuft-forming bunchgrass
    • leaves short and basal with raised veins
    • grows in early spring; flowers in June/July
    • spike-like cylindrical inflorescence, 2-5" long, tan or purple
    • scattered distributions, esp. in rocky or sandy forests or plains

  • Linum lewisii / wild blue flax

    • intense blue, 5-petaled flowers
    • red-ish or darker blue veins in petals
    • buds, flowers and developing fruit present at same time
    • narrow, sessile, 1 inch (ish) leaves
    • especially on roadsides and in meadows in the Valley

  • Lithospermum ruderale / Columbia puccoon

    • small, pale yellow flowers in early spring
    • flowers in dense clusters, nestled among the leaves
    • 1–3 in. long, linear leaves, notably crowded on upper part of stems
    • in dry areas, especially with sagebrush

  • Lomatium triternatum / nineleaf biscuitroot

    • flowers soon after snowmelt
    • yellow compound umbel on leafless stem
    • leaves are three-fold compound; leaflets grass-like
    • may be tall with wide umbels on good soil
    • may be very short with small umbels on rocky, sandy, low nutrient soil

  • Lotus corniculatus / birds-foot trefoil

    • roadsides and other disturbed areas
    • numerous bright yellow, pea-like flowers
    • three, oval and pointed leaflets
    • seed pods are arranged like toes on a bird's foot

Showing 25–36 of 66 results