10 wonderful wildflowers in Breckenridge
Arguably the most beautiful time of year, the Breck landscape is exploding in a rainbow of colors. There are dozens of varieties of local wildflowers, but here are 10 of the ones you’re most likely to find along local hiking trails and even growing right off the roadside.
Wild Iris
See these beauties through July in the marshy areas (they prefer wetlands), such as surrounding trails near the Breckenridge Ice Arena.
Silvery Lupine
More accurately a bluish purple (but they can also be white), lupine line the landscape – forests, meadows, roadsides and mountaintops through August.
Columbine
Colorado’s state flower can be found in at least three varieties of color, but the white and lavender is the classic. It sits either alone or in bushy clusters, mostly in the forested areas with less sun.
Paintbrush
These also come in a variety of colors and can be found on slopes all around the area between June and August. The Scarlet are the most common color around Breck, but if you look closely, the flowers are actually the green tubes poking out of the colorful bunches.
Heartleaf Arnica
Flaming up from the forest floor in vibrant clusters, Arnica prefer darker, moist areas such as along the Moonstone trail above Carter Park.
Wild Rose
Growing on thorny shrubs just like all roses, these delicate pink treasures range in color from pale to rich fuschia. They prefer dryer areas and can be found in forests and meadows.
Wild Chamomile
Yes, it’s possible to make tea out of the flowers and the leaves and if you taste it raw, it is slightly reminiscent of an apple. You’ll see these in forested areas and even on the roadside in the Breck Mountain Village neighborhood into early September.
Gaillardia Blanketflower
This bright flower has a hairy stem and leaves and looks like a mini sunflower with its vibrant red center. You’ll see it on dry slopes and meadows through August.
Mouse-Ear Chickweed
It sounds better just to call it Mouse Ears, so named because its double-lobed petals look like they could grace the head of Mickey or Minnie. They are mostly found in dry forest clearings either in small or large clusters.
Yellow Stonecrop
These delicate little nuggets are found, unsurprisingly, in rocky areas with a lot of sun (right on the trail in some cases). Their tiny flowers look like stars.
– Shauna Farnell
2 Responses
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Camomile should carry a warning. It is so invasive and is choking out native plants!
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