There is nothing more beautiful than a wildflower, but what about them makes them so beautiful? Surely the details in them are often astounding. Long stamens, unique petals, or colorful flowers may dazzle the eyes. Alternatively, the beauty of a wildflower may be linked to its overall surrounding. We often find them perched in rocky crags, in front of mountain vistas, at the edge of our favorite pond, or along our favorite hiking trail. Each wildflower represents a detailed, wild beauty, and that beauty grows as you consider the ecosystem and ecology that surround them.
Wildflowers excel at telling us the progression of summer. In Alaska, one of the first wildflowers of spring, pasque flowers, spring up in large purple and yellow blossoms welcoming the queen bumble bees which have just woken up from a long winter. Similarly, the early blooms of purple mountain saxifrage provide a critical nectar resource for queen bees. However, the timing, or phenology, of wildflowers in Alaska is changing with a warming climate. Changing flower timing can effect insects populations, and in turn birds by growing at different times than they have for milleniums. An example that we (I believe) have all noticed is a quickly melting snowpack. As snowpack melts earlier it has repercussions on when a flower starts to grow and bloom by moving it earlier, and buds may freeze in the still cold temperatures (Inouye 2008). This changes the plant’s fitness and also the flowers available to pollinators. Although the genes of plants may have enough flexibility accommodate some of the effects of climate change, they may need to evolve to ultimately survive (Anderson, Jill T., et al. 2012).
This summer I’ve turned my lens to all of the wildflower blooms I can. I am actually pretty astounded by the number of species I have photographed and learned! When photographing them I both put them in their surroundings, and captured the fine details of their beauty. Some of these images are availble for purchase through my Fine Art America gallery. I hope you enjoy this extensive collection of the colorful seasons of Alaska! Photos are featured in the month that I captured them, rather than when they first start blooming.
June
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Chatanika River, Fairbanks, Alaska
Fragrant Bedstraw (Galium triflorum), Chatanika River, Alaska
Purple Aster (Aster spp), Chatanika River, Alaska
Arctic Bell Heather (Cassiope tetragona), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Pink Plumes (Bistorta plumosa), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Pink Plumes (Bistorta plumosa), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Whorled Lousewort (Pedicularis verticillata), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Capitate Valerian (Valeriana capitata), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Common Name Unknown ( Micranthes hieraciifolia), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Common Name Unknown ( Micranthes hieraciifolia), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Lousewort (pedicularis spp), Solistice, Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Arctic Poppy/Alaska Poppy (Papaver gorodkovii), Galbraith Lake, North Slope, Alaska
Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis), Galbraith Lake, North Slope, Alaska
Dwarf Arctic Butterweed (Packera cymbalaria), Galbraith Lake, Alaska
Frigid Arnica (Arnica frigida), Dalton Highway/Haul Road, Finger Mountain, Alaska
Frigid Arnica (Arnica frigida), Dalton Highway/Haul Road, Finger Mountain, Alaska
Wild Sweet Pea (Hedysarum mackenzii), Delta, Alaska
Arctic Wormwood (Artemisia alaskana), Denali National Park, Alaska
Dwarf Hawksbeard (Crepis nana), Denali National Park, Alaska
Dwarf Fireweed/River Beauty (Chamerion latifolium), Denali National Park, Alaska
Landsdorf’s Lousewort (Pedicularis langsdorfii), Denali National Park, Alaska
Landsdorf’s Lousewort (Pedicularis langsdorfii), Denali National Park, Alaska
Narcissus-flowered Anenome (Anemome narcissiflora), Denali National Park, Eilson Visitor Center, Alaska
One Flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora), Denali National Park, Polychrome Overlook, Alaska
One Flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora), Denali National Park, Polychrome Overlook, Alaska
One Flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora), Denali National Park, Polychrome Overlook, Alaska
Showy Locoweed (Oxytropis splendens), Denali National Park, Alaska
Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), Denali National Park, Alaska
Parry’s Wallflower (Parrya nudicaulis), Denali National Park, Alaska
Arinca (perhaps Frigid Arnica), Denali National Park, Alaska
Arinca (perhaps Frigid Arnica), Denali National Park, Alaska
Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum), Denali National Park, Alaska
Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum), Denali National Park, Alaska
Prickley Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata), Denali National Park, Alaska
Prickley Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata), Denali National Park, Alaska
Wild Rose (Rosa spp), Fairbanks, Alaska
Bluebell (Mertensia spp), Fairbanks, Alaska
Wild Sweet Pea ( Hedysarum mackenzii), Fort Yukon, Alaska
Northern Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium boreale), Porcupine River, Gates of the Arctic NWR, Alaska
American Madwort (Alyssum obovatum), Porcupine River, Gates of the Arctic NWR, Alaska
Horsetail, (Equisetum spp.), Porcupine River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Horsetail, (Equisetum spp.), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska
Cherry (Prunus spp), Creamer’s Field, Alaska
Purple Mountain Saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Mendenhall Glacier Trail, Juneau, Alaska
Purple Mountain Saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Mendenhall Glacier Trail, Juneau, Alaska
Frigid Shooting Star (Primula frigida), Galbraith lake, Alaska
Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens), Fort Yukon, Alaska
Rock Harlequin (Corydalis sempervirens), Fairbanks, Alaska
July
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska
Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August
Arctic Rattlebox (Rhinanthus minor), Fairbanks, Alaska
Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Richardson Highway, Alaska
Northern Yarrow ( ) and Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Richardson Highway, Alaska
Mountain Avens, Seed, Richardson Highway, Alaska
Hooded lady’s (ladies) tresses, (Spiranthes romanzoffiana), Wander Lake, Fairbanks, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska
Wild Calla/Water Arum, Water Dragon ( Calla palustris), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska
Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Seed, Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska
Red Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), Denali National Park, Alaska
Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba stipulata) and Red Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), Denali National Park, Alaska
Bog Star (Parnassia palustris), Denali National Park, Alaska
Purple Aster (Aster spp) and Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Denali National Park, Alaska
Blueberry (Vaccinium spp), Denali National Park, Alaska
Mastadon Flower (Tephroseris palustris), Denali National Park, Alaska
High-bush Cranberry (Vibrunum edule), Denali National Park, Alaska
Potentilla (Potentilla spp), Denali National Park, Alaska
Purple Aster (Aster spp), Denali National Park, Alaska
Northern Goldenrod ( Salidago multiradiata), Denali National Park, Alaska
Monkshood (Aconitum), Denali National Park, Alaska
Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba stipulata), Denali National Park, Alaska
Bear Berry (Arctostaphylos spp.), Denali National Park, Alaska
Whitish Gentian (Gentiana algida), Denali National Park, Eilson Visitor Center, Alaska
Whitish Gentian (Gentiana algida), Denali National Park, Eilson Visitor Center, Alaska
Four-petaled Gentian (Gentiana propinqua), Denali National Park, Alaska
Four-petaled Gentian (Gentiana propinqua), Denali National Park, Alaska
Northern Goldenrod ( Salidago multiradiata), Denali National Park, Alaska
Wild Geranium (Geranium spp.), Kenai River, Alaska
Large-leaf Avens (Geum macrophyllum), Homer, Alaska
Cow Parsnip, (Heralaceum maximum), Homer, Alaska
Lupine (Lupinus spp), Homer, Alaska
Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Homer Alaska
Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August
Willow Herb, (Epilobium spp), Homer, Alaska
Squirrel Tail Grass, Northern Sulphur Butterflies, Glenn Highway, Matanuska Glacier, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Denali Highway, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) and Tri-colored Bumblebee, Denali Highway, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) and Tri-colored Bumblebee, Denali Highway, Alaska
Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August
Pale Gentian (Gentiana glauca), Denali Highway, Alaska
Lesser Wintergreen (Pyrola minor), Denali Highway, Alaska
Larkspur (Delphinium brachycentrum), Denali Highway, Tangle Lakes, Alaska
August
Rock Harlequin (Corydalis sempervirens), Fairbanks, Alaska
Cottongrass (Eriophorum), Fairbanks, Alaska, August
White Locoweed ( Oxytropis sericea), Steese Highway, Alaska, August
Monkshood (Aconitum), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August
Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August
Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August
Arctic Rattlebox (Rhinanthus minor), Fairbanks, Alaska
Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Richardson Highway, Alaska
Northern Yarrow ( ) and Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Richardson Highway, Alaska
Mountain Avens, Seed, Richardson Highway, Alaska
Hooded lady’s (ladies) tresses, (Spiranthes romanzoffiana), Wander Lake, Fairbanks, Alaska
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska
If you’ve made it this far then I want to let you know that these images are available in a single page as well with some images that are not featured in this post:
Wildflowers of Alaska
Identification Sources:
If you are looking for Alaskan wildflower identification I cannot say enough about the utility of these two sites:
http://www.turtlepuddle.org/alaskan/wild/flowers-1.html
http://www.alaskawildflowers.us/
USDA Plant Database http://plants.usda.gov/java/
Literature
Inouye, David W. “Effects of climate change on phenology, frost damage, and floral abundance of montane wildflowers.” Ecology 89.2 (2008): 353-362.
Anderson, Jill T., et al. “Phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution contribute to advancing flowering phenology in response to climate change.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 279.1743 (2012): 3843-3852.
