White, Cream
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Whitish Gentian; Gentiana algida
The park rangers at Denali said this flower was blooming 2 -3 weeks earlier than it usually does. It is an unusual flower. Yet another "victim" of global warming?!
Starflower; Trientalis europea arctica
This is a beautiful little plant that grows in only northern climates. I've seen a European relative in Norway. It is in the Primrose Family.
Lapland Diaspensia; Diaspensia lapponica
These are tiny alpine plants, the flowers are much larger than the leaves. I found these blooming in a crack between two rocks on Flat Top Mountain.
Fringecup; Tellima grandiflora
These flowers were blooming along the trail to the Harding Ice Field at Kenai Fjords National Park. They are related to the Bishop's Cap or Miterwort (Mitella) of our area.
Cloudberry; Salmonberry; Rubus chamemorus
When I visited a friend in Norway in 1995 I ate a delicious fruit preserve made from the berries of this plant, called "molte". I brought a jar of it home with me, but none of my family or friends here liked it. It is very good when mixed with whipped cream. The berries are called "Salmonberry" because of their pale orange color. They look like raspberries.
Bearflower; Boykinia richardsonii
As the name implies, this plant is a favorite food of bears when they emerge from their long winter sleep. It grows in Denali National Park. It is in the Saxifrage family. I was able to get this picture because I practically begged the driver of the Denali tour bus to stop. He commented (a bit preturbed!), "It's just a flower!" I said, "There's no such thing as just a flower!" To me, seeing these flowers was almost as exciting as seeing a grizzly bear or caribou, but the other people didn't quite share my enthusiasm! They groaned as I stepped off the bus along the side of the road, but I got my picture! Mission accomplished! :) (story)
Tall Sandwort; Arenaria capillaris
Tall Sandwort often grows in the cracks of rocks. I found these blooming along the Savage River Trail in Denali National Park.
Sidebells Pyrola; Pyrola secunda
You have to look closely to find these small flowers blooming on the forest floor! The flowers grow on one side of the stem, giving them their common name. The plant is only 4 or 5 inches tall. They are in the Wintergreen Family. I found these blooming on the Kenai Peninsula.
Labrador Tea; Ledum palustris ssp. groenlandicum
These flowers were one of the first that I saw when we went to Flat Top Mountain. They were fairly common in alpine areas. These flowers are in the Heath Family.
Dwarf Dogwood; Bunchberry; Cornus canadensis
This plant is a pint-sized relative of our southern Dogwood tree. These pretty white flowers bloom on small herbaceous (non-woody) plants, not trees. The other name alludes to the cluster of red berries that ripen in the fall. The white "petals" are actually bracts, the true flowers are found in the center.
Sitka Burnet; Sanguisorba stipulata
I found these strange-looking flowers, which are in the Rose family, blooming in the town of Kenai and in Denali National Park.
Baby Aster; Leucelene ericoides
Petrified Forest Nat'l Monument August 28, 2010 This little white aster grew in very harsh conditions.
The flowers of this plant are two colors --- white petals, reddish-purple calyx. I found this blooming in Denali National Park.
Narcissus-flowered Anemone; Anemone narcissiflora
These pretty white flowers were blooming along the Flat Top Mountain trail. "Anemone" means "wind flower".
Grass of Parnassus; Parnassia palustris
I had looked for 10 years to find the eastern version of this flower, then I go to Alaska and find it growing in many places!
Death Camas; Zygadenus elegans
The bulb of this beautiful flower is deadly poisonous if eaten. It is in the Lily family. I found this one blooming along the Glenn Highway while we were stopped several minutes for construction work near the Matanuska Glacier. I never turn down an opportunity to look for flowers! :)
Bering Sea Chickweed; Cerastium beeringianum
I found this plant blooming along the Savage River trail in Denali National Park in early July.
Arizona Pea; Lathrus arizonicus
Flagstaff, AZ August 27, 2010
Swedish Dwarf Cornel; Cornus suecica
The leaves of the Swedish Dwarf Cornel are smaller and a bit more round. I found these blooming on Flat Top Mountain.
Mountain Avens; Dryas octopetala
These are beautiful white flowers that bloom in alpine areas. The species name alludes to the 8 petals of the flowers. The seed heads are as interesting as the flowers are pretty (see following photographs).
The Kenai Peninsula was heavily populated with Goatsbeard. It has hundreds of tiny cream-colored flowers on the flower stalk. It was pretty to see it with Cow Parsnip. This was photographed near the town of Homer.
Cow parsnip; Heracleum lanatum
This large flower, which I found blooming at the Russian Orthodox church in Ninilchik, was a plant that we learned to avoid on our hikes. It has irritating hairs that can cause severe rashes and photosensitivity. Cow Parsnip grew everywhere that we visited in Alaska! The plant can grow to be over 5 feet tall!
Bell Heather; Cassiope tetragona
These tiny alpine plants grow in low, thick mats high in the mountains above the tree line. In Alaska, the tree line can be as low as 2000 feet above sea level. These flowers are in the Heath family.
Arizona Cudweed; Gnaphalium arizonicum
Flagstaff, AZ August 26,2010