Summer Wildflowers of the Pajarito Plateau

Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja integra

The bright red-orange of the Indian paintbrush can be seen in the pinon-juniper and ponderosa pine zones of the Pajarito plateau. The plant is sometimes called a "hummingbird flower" as hummingbirds can be seen feeding on the plant. The Wyoming paintbrush is sometimes seen at higher elevations. Some species are believed to be partially parasitic on other plants.

Scarlet Trumpet, Gilia aggregate

The trumpet like flowers of this plant are bright red and have stamens that protrude from the flower. This biennial blooms from early to late summer. The flowers, like many red-flowers, attract hummingbirds. They are found along roadsides and from low to high elevation forests throughout the area.

Scarlet Bugler or Red Penstemon, Penstemon barbatus

The scarlet bugler is one of the common penstemons found on mesas and mountain slopes of the Jemez Mountains. The scientific name Penstemon means "five stamens." The flower is two lipped; the upper lip has two lobes and the lower three. Blossoms are mostly one side of the stem. The linear-shaped leaves are opposite on the stem. Hummingbirds are attracted to the bright red flowers. They bloom from June to October.

Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa

The butterflyweed is in the Milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae. The flowers are bright orange, crown-shaped. Leaves are thin and hairy. Unlike most milkweeds, it does not have milky juice. It is found in canyons of the area. The flowers are visited by many kinds of butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly. This native plant is used in gardens.

Globe Mallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea sp.

This is a common plant along roadsides and in disturbed areas. The apricot to orange colored flowers are along tall stems with gray-greenish 5 lobed leaves covered with microscopic star-like hairs on the foliage. The globemallow is in the Mallow family, Malvaceae. The flowers have five petals and the many stamens are held on a column. Some species of globemallow were used medicinally by Native Americans as a poultice. These plants are found along roadsides or trails.

James Geranium or Storksbill, Geranium caespitosum

This is a common plant found in moist areas along roadsides, streams, and forested areas. The plant has five rose to purple petals that are reflexed back. The other common geranium in the area, Geranium richardsonii, has five white to pink petals often with purple veins but they are not reflexed back. The name storksbill refers to the seed pod, which is straight and resembles a stork's bill.

Horsemint or Beebalm, Monarda menthaefolia

Flowers of the horsemint are lavender-purple, about 3 cm long, with stamens extending beyond the petals. Leaves are opposite on the stem and the stem is square. the plant has a mint odor This mint has been used by Spanish New Mexicans as a tea and a dye

Purple Aster

One of the most distinctive late summer-fall wildflowers is the purple aster. Along roadsides the purple aster is mixed with Chamisa or rabbitbrush dotting the landscape with an eye-catching yellow intermingled with purple. They are generally found in the lower to mid elevation forests.

Wavy-leaf Thistle , Circium undulatum

Thistles are biennial or perennial plants with spine-tipped or spine-toothed leaves. The flowers are rose-purple and the bracts beneath the flower narrow into a spine. These common plants are found in distrubed areas or after fire. They attract a variety of butterflies including the swallowtail. This is a native species but other species of thistles can be considered exotics or invasive weeds.

Dotted Gayfeather or Liatris, Liatris punctata

This beautiful purple flower is in the sunflower family and blooms from mid to late summer. Flowers are on unbranched stems in crowded spikes. The linear shaped leaves have resinous dots thus the name "dotted."

Puccoon, Lithosperum multiflorum

The puccoon is in the Forget-me-not Family. The stems of the puccon have stiff hairs and the leaves are linear to lance-shaped. The flower is funnel-like yellow to orange. It is found throughout the forests of the area. The fleshy taproot has been used for a purple dye and other parts of the plant used medicinally.

Prairie Coneflower, Ratibida tagetes

These show flower heads are very distinctive with the narrow cone on which the disk flowers sit. The ray flowers can either be yellow or maroon and reflex back. The flowers bloom from June to October and are common along roadsides and in other disturbed areas. The plant originated in the prairie states. This plant is in the Sunflower family

Greenthread, Thelesperma trifidum

This yellow flower grows in mass along the airport and roadsides of the in the spring and summer. The leaves are finely divided. This species has been used to make a beautiful gold to golden brown dye. This plant is in the Sunflower family.

Blanketflower or Firewheel, Gaillardia pulchella

Blanket flower is found along the roadsides most of the summer. The reddish brown disk flowers are circled by ray flowers that are red at the base and then yellow near the tip. They look similar to the domestic blanketflower. This plant is in the Sunflower family.

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta

This showy plant of the Sunflower family is found in the burned area where it was used as a rehabilitation plant. It is also found in meadows and along roadsides of the mid to upper elevation forests. Ray flowers are yellow and notched at the end; disk flowers are black, purple or dark brown.

Blue Gilia or Starflower, Gilia longiflora

The pale blue to lavender flowers of the starflower is found along roadsides and in dry areas of the pine woodlands during mid to late summer. Leaves are divided into fine divisions and the flowers are in flat top clusters and the end of the stems. The flowers attract night-flying moths that feed on the nectar.

Blue Flax, Lewis Flax, Linum lewsii

These beautiful fragile flowers are borne on long stems that sway in the breeze. They generally bloom June through July and occasionally into August. They are sometimes used in mixes for rehabilitation of roadsides and construction sites. The plant was named in honor of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The fibrous stems were used by early Native Americans in making cordage and fish lines.

Fleabane Daisy, Erigeron divergens

This low growing daisy can be found throughout the dry mesas and open pine woodlands of the area. The plant rarely grows taller than nine inches and has white to pinkish ray flowers and yellow centers (disk flowers). It blooms from early to late summer and is very common throughout the area.

Yarrow, Achillea lanulosa

Yarrow is a common plant in the mid to higher elevations. The white flowers grow in flat-topped clusters. The leaves are finely dissected and somewhat hairy. The plant has a strong aromatic odor when crushed. Yarrow has been used medicinally by many different people.