It’s August and that means the trails in the High Sierra have come alive with color as wildflowers bloom along the trails.  Not only beautiful, these wildflower gardens are a striking reminder of the region’s resilience and biodiversity.  Look closely at the flowers and you are likely to see a wide range of pollinators buzzing about the flowers.

We put together this guide of some of the common flowers you’ll find out on High Sierra trails right now.  Interested in learning more?  Join one of our Wildflower Walks this summer in Little Lakes Valley and Tahoe Meadows.

 

Sierra Columbine (Aquilegia pubescens)

This showy cream to yellow flower is typically found in open, rocky slopes between 8,000 – 12,000 feet in elevation.  It is endemic to the Eastern Sierra, meaning it is found nowhere else!  It also can easily hybridize with the red alpine columbine, leading to color combinations of pink like the one pictured.

Sierra Columbine are primarily pollinated by hawk moths, and the long spurs of their flowers are a unique adaptation for pollination by long tongued moths and hummingbirds.

 

 

Giant Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

Splashes of bright red flowers alongside wet meadows and stream banks, there are a couple of species of paintbrush that are found in the Eastern Sierra.  One of the most common is giant red paintbrush, found blooming along many High Sierra trails.

Despite being able to photosynthesize, paintbrush are a semi-parasitic plant, meaning they use their specialized roots to get some of their nutrients from a host plant.  This is the reason why you will almost always find paintbrush mixed in with other plants.

 

 

Sierra Shooting Star (Primula jeffreyi)

With petals swept back like tiny purple comets, these whimsical flowers bloom in moist meadows and near streams.  This wildflower is native to western North America at elevations of 3000 – 10000 feet and is a common sight along Eastern Sierra trails.

This perennial flower often forms colonies in wet meadows where if you time it right you can be treated to a glorious sight of hundreds of these unique flowers in bloom.  The shooting star shape is perfect for pollination by bees, as the shape allows only insects that can vibrate their bodies against the flower to shake the pollen out.

 

 

Sierra Lupine (Lupinus grayi)

One of the most showy and distinctive plants in the Eastern Sierra, lupine blooms form beautiful fields of purple flowers in the Summer.  Starting with desert species in the valley in the spring and then moving higher in elevation throughout the summer, lupine are one of the most common flowers found on our trails.

Lupine are members of the pea family and have a special ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, enriching it naturally and making them tolerant of poor, infertile soil conditions.  They seem to be able to grow almost anywhere!

 

 

Sulphur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)

This has been a banner year for sulphur buckwheat, with it’s bright yellow flowers blooming all over the Eastern Sierra from the Owens Valley to over 11,000′ in elevation up Rock Creek Canyon.  This perennial can take many forms, I’ve seen it as a small clump with flowers reaching only 4″ in height ranging to huge 6 foot plus sprawling shrubs.

The bright yellow flowers are an important pollinator plant, with sulphur buckwheat hosting over 35 different species of pollinators.  I always love looking at the different bees, moths and other insects that can be found on it’s flowers.

 

 

Mountain Pride (Penstemon newberryi)

One of my favorite plants, this penstemon is often found amongst the granite boulders of the High Sierra, growing improbably out of cracks in the rock.  The bright pink trumpet shaped flowers are vibrant and grow in a bushy mat in the talus fields of the mountains.

Mountain pride is specially adapted to harsh, high-elevation conditions with thick, waxy leaves that help conserve moisture and withstand wind. Its bright flowers attract hummingbirds, which are key pollinators in these rugged habitats.

 

Coyote Mint (Monardella odoratissima)

This native California perennial is found in a range of habitats from woodlands to chaparral and is a frequent sight along the trails in the Eastern Sierra.  With it’s bright purple/pink flower clusters and amazing minty scent, this is always a favorite to find.  It’s drought tolerant and frequently found along trails in the Eastern Sierra.

It’s another favorite of pollinators and it’s bright flowers are especially attractive to butterflies.  But it’s not just pretty, coyote mint has been used by many indigenous peoples as a medicinal herb for treating stomachaches and sore throats.