I’ve always loved Scarlet Gilia because of its brilliant red color; one of the few truly red wildflowers. I prefer to go along with those who call it “Skyrocket”.
Scarlet Gilia, Skyrocket, Gilia aggregata, Phlox family
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June 10, 2010
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Montana Outdoors 
That is a beautiful flower, love the background.
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Comment by burstmode — June 11, 2010 @ 5:25 am
These have a very brief blooming cycle and I was lucky enough to find this one at its peak. That day had intermittent showers but the clouds were distinct, and they are the background for the photo. (It helps if you are used to lying on your back on a bed of pine cones to take pictures.)
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Comment by montucky — June 11, 2010 @ 7:53 am
This is one flower that definitely doesn’t feel the need to blend in with the background. Definitely not a wallflower.
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Comment by knightofswords — June 11, 2010 @ 1:00 pm
That’s an interesting observation. These do tend to stand alone and away from most other vegetation. Maybe they have an attitude.
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Comment by montucky — June 11, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
Here is another that I have read about in books, but never seen. I am not usually crazy about red flowers, but I like this one.
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Comment by sandy — June 11, 2010 @ 2:26 pm
They are a western flower. I like the clear cut red. They stand tall, but are a fairly small blossom.
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Comment by montucky — June 11, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
Gorgeous red-orange and amazing how you photographed this without the red-orange color blowing out even in cloudy light.
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Comment by Anna — June 12, 2010 @ 7:38 am
Thanks Anna, I think it came out well. Thank Goodness for spot metering!
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Comment by montucky — June 12, 2010 @ 9:43 am
That is one gorgeous flower – love the name Skyrocket….
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Comment by Stacey Dawn — June 12, 2010 @ 9:45 am
Yes, I can see how it got that name.
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Comment by montucky — June 12, 2010 @ 8:34 pm
I’d go with skyrocket, too. Very apt. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one, very pretty.
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Comment by Candace — June 12, 2010 @ 10:38 am
USDA Plants shows them in Arizona, but I don’t remember seeing one there. Maybe up by Springerville.
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Comment by montucky — June 12, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
Wow, that is such a vivid red! I love the background, too, it is looks like a stormy sky.
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Comment by kateri — June 12, 2010 @ 2:36 pm
The background is exactly that, kateri. I wanted a light color background and by lying down I was able to get just enough sky behind it.
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Comment by montucky — June 12, 2010 @ 8:38 pm
That is such a striking flower! Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — June 12, 2010 @ 4:05 pm
The blossoms are fairly small, but with that color they can still be fairly easily seen.
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Comment by montucky — June 12, 2010 @ 8:39 pm