Alaska Wildflowers
There are over 1500 species of wildflowers in the state of Alaska. This collection only covers a small fraction of them but will grow over time. I’m working on photographing key identifying features on as many as I can over our short summers. This Alaska Wildflower Guide contains valuable information about each plant as well as references and links for further reading. Each post contains information on taxonomy, identification, plant uses and edibility, and each plant’s distribution and native habitat. The accompanying photo galleries may also be useful for wildflower identification and contain over 500 photos to date.
Identification and information of the Rooted poppy, Alaska poppy, and some similar species and subspecies found around Alaska. Photos of Papaver radicatum.
Arctic sandwort is a mat-forming plant with small, white, 5-petaled flowers. It grows in rocky or gravelly alpine environments and is native...
Rhododendron tomentosum is a low to medium-sized evergreen shrub. Each plant has several white-flowered inflorescences. Precautions should be taken if using as...
The flower of the wild iris is deep violet to blue 6-10 cm (2.5-4 inches) across with 2 sets of three petals....
Labrador lousewort is a 5-15 inch partially parasitic plant with an inflorescence of yellow flowers. Native to Alaska, Canada and Greenland it...
Purple mountain saxifrage is a low-growing, small, matted plant with dark green rounded and scaly leaves earning it the name French Knot....
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The narcissus anemone typically has 4-10 white sepals and somewhat hairy, basal leaves. It grows up to 60 cm (23 inches) tall...
The Arctic primrose tends to live in very wet soil and stream beds. It grows to be about 10-12 cm tall. It...
Northern Kittentails is a small, purple flower about 2-3 cm in diameter. They mostly grow individually in rocky, alpine areas, or in...
Fireweed's common name comes from the fact that it can revegetate quickly after forest fires. Each flower is symmetrical about the vertical...
The larkspur is a tall, single stem flowering plant that grows 3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m) in height with spurred, purple flowers. Toxic...
Moss campion is a cushion-like plant with 6-12mm (1/4-1/2 in) diameter, pink or whitish-pink 5-petal flowers, and 10 stamens.
Most species of Alaska cotton are between 30-60 cm (12-24 in) tall with a drooping head of cotton that is whitish in...
One of the early blooming wildflowers in Alaska, this pinkish flower is frequently seen in late May or early June in the...