June 1, 2017
A nice way for June to begin
Just a short hike today, but some new flowers in bloom. I’ll hike up high tomorrow, probably above the wildflowers, but who knows.
Wild Blue Flax~ Linum lewisii
Wood’s Rose ~ Rosa woodsii
Three-spot Mariposa Lily ~ Calochortus apiculatus
Silvery Lupine (in white) ~ Lupinus argenteus
Yarrow ~ Achillea millefolium
Elegant Mariposa Lily ~ Calochortus elegans
Sulphur Penstemon ~ Penstemon attenuatus
Mallow Ninebark ~ Physocarpus malvaceus
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Montana Outdoors 
Great pictures, thanks
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Comment by John Purdy — June 1, 2017 @ 8:57 pm
Thanks John!
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Comment by montucky — June 1, 2017 @ 9:33 pm
There’s that brilliant blue again. What a beautiful collection!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 1, 2017 @ 9:07 pm
Yes, isn’t that blue something! Maybe it’s just my imagination, but many of the flower colors seem so much deeper and brighter this year.
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Comment by montucky — June 1, 2017 @ 9:43 pm
They sure are beautiful. Maybe they seem brighter because we are that much more desperate to see them this year after that horrible winter.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 2, 2017 @ 1:18 pm
Some more beautiful wild flowers 🙂
I enjoyed seeing the Silvery Lupines(?) in the field as it put them in context of what a sight it must be. I can imagine how lovely Spring must be in your area of Montana.
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Comment by Vicki — June 2, 2017 @ 3:35 am
One of the remarkable things about this area is that every hillside, every trail is different and many species of flowers grow only in one certain place while others are widespread.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 7:01 am
Location is an interesting observation.
When studying Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy, we learnt how some herbs grow better in certain locations (directions or hilly or flat) and seasons and the harvesting (of them) is just as important – early morning, after the dew has evaporated but before midday, in the afternoon, before or after flowering, and even during certain phases of the moon (which I’m not familiar with).
It’s no surprise to me that you find patches of certain wildflowers in certain locations.
Then one can assume that birds or small critters carry & excrete the seeds where they live and feed and sometimes range over wide areas. Then there’s the wind blowing lightweight seeds, or snowmelt sending others into gullies or flood plains into totally different areas.
Nature is a fascinating subject and I sometimes I wish I’d studied it more closely in my youth when my brain cells and memory were more active 🙂
That’s what worries me with climate change and human deforestation. We are upsetting all this natural balance.
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Comment by Vicki — June 2, 2017 @ 6:49 pm
Love them all but the Three-spot Mariposa Lily wins the day!
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Comment by centralohionature — June 2, 2017 @ 4:11 am
There are several other species of Mariposa Lilies too. If the weather permits I will see if they are blooming in another mountain range that usually has some beauties.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 7:03 am
Wow–what a flower show! I’ve never seen such a beautiful photo of an Achillea. I used to study the shape of their leaves (research on leaf temperature). If the photos were taken at higher elevation, I wonder if it really might be A. lanulosa. Those higher elevation yarrows have smaller, fuzzier, grayer leaves that are more compact than millefolium (the compact shape keeps them a little warmer). I’ve never seen a white lupine before–these are all so gorgeous.
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Comment by jpostol — June 2, 2017 @ 5:01 am
Perhaps because of the severe cold and deep snow we had last winter, the wildflowers seem to be exceptionally pretty this year. The colors are deeper and more vibrant and the petals more distinct. I wish I could be everywhere at once (for fear that I may be missing some of them). This series of photos was taken at about 2,500 feet elevation. Today I will be hiking at around 5,600 to 6,000 and I suspect there will be less blooming up there, although Bear Grass may be in bloom now.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 7:11 am
The mallow ninebark is a new one for me — I don’t remember seeing it before (although you may have posted it). Everything about it is delightful. And the blue flax is fun to see. I’m accustomed to the yellow flax, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the blue before. I know some people grow it in their gardens in Texas, but I think that’s mostly in places farther north or west. And you’re right about the deeper color of yours. Every description I read calls it “pale blue” and yours certainly isn’t pale! I went back to check and see if we have a different species, but no: it’s the same one.
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Comment by shoreacres — June 2, 2017 @ 6:26 am
I’ve seen the flax in deep blue before, but I can’t remember it as blue as these. They can be easily seen at a distance of several hundred yards; the color is so distinct. I don’t remember seeing the mallow last year, or the sulphur penstemons, but I also don’t remember hiking on the trail where I found these. If you’re not in every place at almost the same time you will miss the bloom of many species, and sometimes the weather dictates at which location you may be at what time. For example, wild ginger is native to northwestern Montana but I’ve seen it only once and that was on a trail that I have hiked only once (to St. Paul Lake), in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 7:19 am
Sure is! A great way to enjoy my birthday month! 😉
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — June 2, 2017 @ 8:34 am
Then you get flowers for your birthday every year!
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 8:40 pm
Sounds good to me!! 🙂
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — June 3, 2017 @ 7:15 am
Wow, yes, many different kinds of Mariposa Lilies. Is the Elegant the one that is your favorite? And I love the Wood’s Rose, what a pretty color.
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Comment by Candace — June 2, 2017 @ 11:24 am
I hope I run across a really good example of an Elegant Mariposa Lily. Haven’t seen a good one for some time: perhaps tomorrow.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 8:42 pm
Wow, that blue is intense! And the rose – so delicate. Some gorgeous blooms here.
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Comment by Jo Woolf — June 2, 2017 @ 12:45 pm
It seems to me that all of the flowers are extra nice this year.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 8:43 pm
You continue to beat us in the blooming wildflowers category. 🙂 Not even Wood’s rose is out yet — buds are still just wishful thinking. Love the silver lupine.
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Comment by Sally — June 2, 2017 @ 12:52 pm
It was very cold and wet here at the beginning of spring and then when it warmed up the flowers responded.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 8:44 pm
I love the color of the flax, and the field full of lupines is really something!
I didn’t know you had two kinds of mariposa lilies. They’re really unusual. It looks like they’re always in threes like a trillium.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — June 2, 2017 @ 3:06 pm
There are several faces on the Mariposa Lilies. Tomorrow I will go to a place that usually has the Elegant species. It’s in the Coeur d’Alene Mountain range and also it’s really good black bear territory. Haven’t come across a bear yet this year.
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Comment by montucky — June 2, 2017 @ 8:48 pm
I love that shot with the purple lupines…and on a dark enough day that they weren’t blasted by the sun. I’ve seen some like that up in the Wasatch….
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Comment by seekraz — June 4, 2017 @ 1:07 pm
The Lupine is one of the flowers that is doing exceptionally well this year.
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Comment by montucky — June 9, 2017 @ 6:49 pm
I’ve only seen them in the purple like the ones you’ve shared and in a purple that was so light it was almost white…..
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Comment by seekraz — June 11, 2017 @ 3:39 pm
Makes that hike so worthwhile 😃
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — June 9, 2017 @ 4:41 pm
I sure think so. Hiking here never gets boring.
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Comment by montucky — June 9, 2017 @ 6:51 pm