Wildflowers

A rare white morph of slender penstemon, penstemon gracilentus

Unlike arid landscapes of the Southwest and elsewhere, the wildflowers here do not come-and-go in one dramatic spring pulse. Instead, plants stagger their blooms over the course of the warmer seasons providing a long, varying flower show that starts when the snow melts in March and lasts into September.

Listed below, in order of blooming season, are some of the most common or notable species. Dates should be taken as rough guidance, since variable seasonal weather does affect when these plants bloom, and in differing ways: A late, cold spring my cause one flower to bloom profusely through mid-summer, while another may skip blooming altogether. This is not an all inclusive list: for a more complete list of plants, read the Plants of Lava Beds brochure.

DO NOT PICK FLOWERS
Please leave flowers for other visitors to enjoy. Wildflowers, like all natural, cultural and historic things in the park, are protected and preserved for the enjoyment of all.

 

Sagebrush Buttercup
Ranunculus glaberrimus

Best viewed: March-April
Habitat: Sheltered under shrubs, rock outcrops
Flower size: 2 cm
Type: Perennial
Notes: Shy, often hidden under sagebrush, other shrubs in sheltered places, or rock cracks. By far our earliest bloomer during the last weeks of winter.

 

Carpet Phlox & Spreading Phlox
Phlox hoodii & Phlox diffusa

Best viewed: April-May
Habitat: Open areas, rock outcrops
Flower size: 1.5 cm
Type: Perennial
Notes: Grow in low, spiny clumps in most open areas of the park and put on an impressive show when many plants live together. White, pink, or both.

 

Woodland-Stars
Lithophragma tenellum.

Best viewed: April-May
Habitat: Shade, open woodlands.
Flower size: 1 cm
Type: Annual
Notes: Easily found along the lower portion of the Schonchin Butte Trail. Two species are common: bulbous and slender woodland-stars.

 

Yellow Bell / Yellow Fritillary
Fritillaria pudica

Best viewed: Late April-May
Habitat: Open shrub or grasslands
Flower size: 2 cm
Type: Perennial
Notes: Found at the top of Gillem Bluff. The flower changes color from bright yellow to shades of orange and red as it ages.

 

Biscuitroot
Lomatium sp.

Best Viewed: Late April-June
Habitat: Open shrub or grasslands
Flower Size: 2-5 cm
Type: Perrenial
Notes: Members of carrot family, has edible roots. Several species with white to yellow umbels of flowers. The top of Gillem Bluff is a reliable spot.

 

Daggerpod
Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides

Best Viewed: Late May-June
Habitat: Open shrub or grasslands
Flower Size: 4-5 cm cluster
Type: Perennial
Notes: White to pink in clusters of 15-25 flowers. Seen on of Gillem Bluff. Named for long pointed seed pods typical of the mustard family.

 

Granite gilia

Leptodactylon pungens

Best viewed: May-June

Habitat: rocky outcrops

Flower size: 1 inch long

Type: perennial

Notes: white flowers open at night to attract moths

 

Arrowleaf balsamroot
Balsamorhiza sagittata

Best viewed: May-June
Habitat: Juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forest
Flower size: 3 inches
Type: perennial
Notes: can be multiple flowers on stems with some leaves

 

Desert Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja angustifolia

Best viewed: May-June
Habitat: sagebrush and rabbitbrush
Flower size: 2-7 cm leaves hide the yellow-green flowers
Type: perennial
Notes: semi-parasitic

 

Winecup Clarkia
Clarkia purpurea quadrivaulnera

Best viewed: May-June
Habitat: grasslands and scrub
Flower size: 3/4 inch
Type: annual

 

Narrow-leaved or thread-leaf phacelia
Phacelia linearis

Best viewed: May-July

Habitat: sagebrush
Flower size: 1/2 inch wide
Type: annual

 

Grand collomia
Collomia grandiflora

Best viewed: May-August

Habitat: open slopes, shrubland

Flower size: 1 inch long

Type: annual

Notes: occasionally seen in open areas in northern portion; often abundant after fires

 

Wild Blue Flax
Linum lewisii

Best viewed: May-August

Habitat: slopes and ridges in Pinyon-Juniper woodland

Flower size: 6-15 mm

Type: perennial

 

California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica

Best viewed: May-August

Habitat: Common in gravel or pumice areas throughout monument

Flower size: 1-5 dm

Type: perennial, sometimes annual

Notes: official state flower of California

 

Tapertip Hawksbeard
Crepis acuminata

Best viewed: June-July

Habitat: shrublands and open ponderosa pine forest

Flower size: 1/4 inch wide

Type: perennial

 

Narrow-leaved milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis

Best viewed: June-August

Habitat: dry, flat slopes and common along road shoulder

Flower size: 1/3 inch

Type: perennial

Notes: umbel-like clusters of gray-pink or rose flowers

 

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

Best viewed: June-August

Habitat: Dry to moist, open, disturbed areas

Flower size: 1/3 inch

Type: perennial

Notes: Has medicinal use. Flower heads are flat-topped clusters.

 

Coyote Tobacco
Nicotiana attenuata

Best viewed: June-August

Habitat: dry, open areas; common along roads or burned areas

Flower size: 2.5-4.5 cm

Type: annual to biennial

Notes: can be toxic to livestock and other animals

 

Dwarf Monkeyflower
Mimulus nanus

Best viewed: June-August

Habitat: dry pumice or gravelly soil

Flower size: 1/3 inch

Type: annual

Notes: occurs in loose pumice

 

Sagebrush Mariposa Lily
Calochortus macrocarpus

Best viewed: July-August

Habitat: sagebrush scrub and slopes

Flower size: 1 1/2-2 inches wide

Type: perennial

Notes: Mariposa is butterfly in Spanish

 

Blazing Star
Mentzeila laevicaulis

Best viewed: June-October

Habitat: shrublands and open forest

Flower size: 2-6 inches

Type: biennial or perennial

Notes: often seen on slopes and along road

 

Sulphur Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum

Best viewed: June-September

Habitat: widespread; common in open sites

Flower size: 1 inch wide umbels on stems 5-10 inches long

Type: perennial

Notes: bright yellow flowers