A Guide to Flowers of America's National Parks
America's national parks showcase an extraordinary diversity of wildflowers, from desert blooms to alpine meadows. This florist guide explores the botanical treasures found across these protected landscapes.
Desert Wildflowers
Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Saguaro)
Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) These cheerful yellow flowers bloom nearly year-round in favorable conditions, with woolly gray-green foliage that helps them conserve water. They're among the most reliable desert bloomers.
Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) Brilliant yellow daisy-like flowers rise above silvery leaves from March through June. The aromatic resin was once used as incense by Indigenous peoples.
Desert Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus) Purple-blue spikes create stunning carpets during superbloom years, typically February through April. These nitrogen-fixing plants enrich desert soils.
Ghost Flower/Mohave Desert Star (Monoptilon bellioides) Tiny white flowers with yellow centers appear after winter rains, sometimes carpeting the desert floor in spectacular displays.
Mountain Wildflowers
Rocky Mountain Parks (Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, Glacier)
Glacier Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum) Bright yellow nodding flowers appear at snowmelt, often pushing through lingering snow. Their arrival signals spring in alpine zones.
Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja species) Actually a parasitic plant, the showy red, orange, or yellow "petals" are modified leaves (bracts). The true flowers are small and green.
Columbine (Aquilegia species) Colorado's state flower features distinctive spurred blossoms in various colors. The blue columbine (A. coerulea) is particularly striking in subalpine meadows.
Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) Tall stalks topped with creamy white flower clusters dominate mountain meadows. Despite the name, it's not a grass but a member of the lily family.
Alpine Tundra Flowers
Alpine Forget-me-not (Eritrichium nanum) Tiny blue flowers hug the ground above treeline, blooming in rocky areas where few other plants survive.
Sky Pilot (Polemonium viscosum) Deep blue-purple flowers grow in tight clusters near summits, releasing a skunky odor that attracts pollinators in harsh alpine conditions.
Woodland and Forest Flowers
Eastern Deciduous Forests (Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah)
Trillium (Trillium species) These iconic spring ephemerals bloom before trees leaf out. Great Smoky Mountains hosts numerous species, including the white trillium and painted trillium.
Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium species) Rare and spectacular, these orchids feature distinctive pouch-shaped flowers. The pink lady's slipper takes 15+ years to bloom from seed.
Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) Fiery orange and red blooms set hillsides ablaze in late spring. Great Smoky Mountains offers one of the world's best displays of native azaleas.
Fire Pink (Silene virginica) Brilliant scarlet flowers with notched petals attract hummingbirds to woodland edges and clearings.
Pacific Northwest Rainforests (Olympic)
Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum) Large white flowers age to pink, carpeting old-growth forest floors in early spring.
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) A tiny dogwood relative with four white bracts surrounding tiny flowers, creating miniature versions of flowering dogwood blooms.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Though non-native, these tall purple flower spikes are now naturalized throughout the Pacific Northwest. The plant is both beautiful and highly toxic.
Coastal and Wetland Flowers
California Coast (Point Reyes, Channel Islands)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) The state flower creates golden-orange hillside displays from February through September. Petals close at night and in cool weather.
Giant Coreopsis (Leptosyne gigantea) These tree-like sunflowers create spectacular yellow displays on Channel Islands cliffs in spring.
Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus) Pink-purple flowers bloom nearly year-round on coastal bluffs, their fleshy leaves adapted to salt spray.
Everglades and Southern Wetlands
Swamp Lily (Crinum americanum) Large, fragrant white flowers with spidery petals bloom above water in summer.
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) Purple-blue flower spikes emerge from heart-shaped leaves in shallow water, attracting pollinators throughout summer.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) This legendary leafless orchid grows on trees in Big Cypress and Everglades. Its white flowers seem to float in darkness, blooming sporadically in summer.
Prairie and Grassland Flowers
Great Plains Parks (Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt, Tallgrass Prairie)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) These iconic prairie plants feature purple-pink rays around spiky orange cones. Goldfinches feast on their seeds in fall.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Golden yellow petals surround dark brown centers, blooming throughout summer and early fall.
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) Nodding pink flowers transform into feathery seed heads that resemble wisps of smoke across the prairie.
Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum) Tall stalks bearing yellow flowers can reach 10 feet. Leaves allegedly orient north-south to minimize sun exposure.
Arctic and Subarctic Flowers
Alaska Parks (Denali, Gates of the Arctic)
Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) Magenta flower spikes colonize disturbed areas and bloom progressively from bottom to top. When flowers reach the top, Alaskans say winter is six weeks away.
Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) A dwarf rhododendron with purple flowers that blooms in tundra areas, often in dense mats.
Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) Blue-purple flower spikes provide crucial nitrogen to tundra soils. Seeds can remain viable for thousands of years in permafrost.
Timing Your Visit for Wildflowers
Desert Parks: February-April (peak varies with rainfall) Low Elevation/Southern Parks: March-May Mountain/Subalpine: June-August Alpine Tundra: July-August (short season) Prairies: May-September (different species peak at different times)
Conservation Tips
Stay on trails to avoid trampling fragile plants
Never pick flowers in national parks—it's illegal and prevents seed production
Don't transplant wild plants; most won't survive and it's illegal
Keep distances from sensitive areas marked by rangers
Leave seeds for wildlife and future generations
Photography Etiquette
Use a zoom lens or macro lens rather than walking into meadows. The best photos come from respectful distances. Early morning and late afternoon provide the best light and often show flowers with dew.
The wildflowers of America's national parks represent millions of years of evolution and adaptation. Each bloom tells a story of climate, geology, and ecology. Whether you encounter a rare orchid in a misty forest or a carpet of desert gold, these flowers remind us why these landscapes deserve protection for generations to come.
