Colorado Wildflowers in July

I began the month of July with a trail run at White Ranch. Since then, I have run or hiked at Mount Falcon, Apex and Alderfer/Three Sisters parks. Although wildflowers were not as amazing to me in July as they were at the beginning of the summer, I managed to learn about a couple of wildflowers and enjoyed getting away from it all once a week. I experienced the thrill of narrowly missing a downpour at Mount Falcon and seeing several deer at Apex. Since I don't get out to Three Sisters (outside Evergreen) very often, the novelty makes it enjoyable.

Mount Falcon

Deer in the thistles, Apex Park

Three Sisters

Mystery Solved

When I went to White Ranch Park on the 4th of July, I saw a tall plant that I was curious about. I could not identify it at the time because its blooms had not yet opened. I now know that it is Milkweed, a plant with beautiful star-shaped flowers that is attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.

 Milkweed,
White Ranch

Milkweed, Apex

Showy Milkweed, Apex

Wildflower Pairs

In Colorado, I see more yellow and purple flowers than any other colors. At Apex, I found Toadflax, a noxious weed, paired with a purple flower that I haven't been able to identify with certainty. My best guess based on the shape of the blooms and the way its yellow stamens project out is the narrowleaf four o'clock. Beebalm flowers were growing all over the place at Apex as were Sulphur flowers.  Arnica continues to bloom and looks very pretty paired with Asters.

Toadflax with Narrowleaf Four O' Clock?

Sulphur Flower and Beebalm, Apex

Arnica and Asters, Mount Falcon

Uncertainty in my Wildflower Identification Skills
I am often uncertain about my wildflower identification skills. In my haste to take a quick picture of a flower so I can get on with my run, I don't always get a good close up of the leaves or stems. I search on multiple websites to compare my photos to theirs and sometimes I just can't tell for sure. At Three Sisters, I photographed a yellow flower that resembles Common Evening Primrose. I saw a lot of white flowers along the trails, including one that I think is called Hoary Alyssum.  Another lacy white flower, Yarrow, is much easier for me to identify because of its fern-like leaves.

Evening Primrose, Three Sisters

Yarrow

Hoary Alyssum, Three Sisters

Sticky-Heads

Subalpine Gumweed, from the aster/sunflower family, began blooming in July. When you look closely at the unopened blooms  you can see a white, sticky looking substance. That explains why Gumweed plants are also called sticky-heads. Gumweed's uses include treatment of respiratory problems (e.g. asthma) and skin reactions to poison ivy.

Gumweed

Weather permitting, next week begins my fourth month of trail running with a digital camera at my waist, ready to snap some pictures of wildflowers.