Wildflowers
Capture the color, brilliance, hue, shape, and texture of Yellowstone on canvas, film, and in person. Experience Yellowstone in bloom!
In looking for wildflowers, keep in mind that elevation, relative temperatures, soil types, and precipitation patterns all play a role in what you find blooming in various areas at different times of the year. In addition, far-reaching events such as wildland fires can cause spectacular blooms of species that thrive on the conditions these events create.
All of these variables add up to one universal fact—wildflowers are where you find them! The list on reverse of this page will help you begin. More detailed books and a listing of ranger-led activities, some dealing with flower topics, are available at visitor centers throughout the park.
Remember that many of Yellowstone's wildflowers are also very important parts of animal diets. The bulbs of spring beauty and glacier lily, for example, are vital spring foods of the grizzly bear. Wild strawberries are collected by ground squirrels and chipmunks; the seeds of most wildflowers are used by birds and insects. Even the beautiful and delicate petals of many flowers are used by animals. Porcupines may sometimes be seen munching flower petals. Bees and other insects collect nectar and pollen.
Exotic plants —escaped domestics and "weeds"—can be found in Yellowstone. Look for them in disturbed sites such as roadsides where they have little initial competition. Dalmation toadflax, yellow sweetclover, ox-eye daisy, and other exotic plants compete unnaturally with native plants. For this reason, and for the continued integrity of our ecosystem, these exotics are controlled by pulling and/or spraying.
- content provided by the National Park Service.
network of Travel Guides