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FLORA

Scroll to look through the pictures and descriptions of the flowers we've seen while hiking. We've consulted our Resident Plant Nerd for identification confirmation but some species were hard for even him to identify!

Alpine anemone   (Pulsatilla alpina)

Common Name: Alpine anemone

Scientific Name: Pulsatilla alpina

Notes:

  • Found in mountain ranges of central and southern Europe, alpine pastures, open pine forests

  •  Around 1200m - 2700m  altitude

  •  Flowers around May-July

  • Has leaves like cut-leaved anemone, but it is smaller 

  • Leaves are hairy, and flowers are more upright than other flowers which are usually more droopy

Alpine Goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata)

Common Name: Alpine goldenrod

Scientific Name: Solidago multiradiata

Notes:

  • Part of the aster family

  • The yellow flowers make a bright yellow dye. 

  • Found in mountain slopes, open forests and up to 12,000 feet

  • Flowers around July-September

  • Prevalent in the north eastern part of North America 

Alpine Hedysarum  (Hedysarum alpinum)

Common Name: Alpine Hedysarum (AKA alpine sweet vetch) 

Scientific Name: Hedysarum alpinum

Notes: 

  • Found in the northern region of the Northern Hemisphere; grows in meadows, rocky slopes, alpine areas and open forests.  

  • Can be found around 1190m elevation

  • Part of the legume family 

  • Has pea shaped flowers that have pink to reddish purple petals that bloom between June and July 

  • Can often be confused with Northern Hedysarum

  • The roots are primary food for grizzly bears, Dall's sheep, caribou, and small mammals

  • Many native Alaskan people use the fleshy roots for food.  They say it tastes like liquorice when it is raw, and like carrots when it is cooked. 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Alpine Milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus var. alpinus)

Common Name: Alpine Milkvetch

Scientific Name: Astragalus alpinus var. alpinus

Notes:

  • Alpine milkvetch can be found across Canada, the northern and western United States, as well as Eurasia.

  • It produces small white, pink or purple flowers.

  • The flower prefers cool, moist, habitats along streams and in the mountains.

  • All plants in the Astragalus genus are potentially toxic to both human and animals, and if consumed by an animal, their milk may also be poisonous. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

 

Arnica spp 

Common Name: Arnica spp

Notes:

  • Found in Mountains of the northwestern region of North America

  • Prefers moist, acidic soil, and lots of sunlight 

  • Can be found up to 2500m elevation 

  • Flowers in July 

  • Leaves are soft and hairy and oppositely arranged 

  • Arnica is a main ingredient for anti-inflammatory medications 

  • Arnica is toxic and can be poisonous if consumed BUT DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE OR CONSUME

Aster spp 

Common Name: Aster spp.

Notes:

  • Flowers are usually pink, purple, blue or white with yellow centres

  • They are one of the last great feeding opportunities for bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and even birds because they are fragrant and colourful and they bloom in late summer to fall

  • There are a wide variety and different classifications of asters such as Brewer’s aster, blue wood aster, white wood aster, smooth aster, bog aster, alpine aster,

  • Most species prefer lots of sunlight, and many are drought resistant

  • Many species are drought resistant

  • “Aster” comes from the Greek word meaning “star”

  • This species can be a "pain in the aster" to identify 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) 

Common Name: Balsam Fir

Scientific Name: Abies balsamea

Notes:

  • Native to most of central and eastern Canada

  • They grow about 14-20 meters tall

  • Leaves are dense and dark green 

  • In young trees, the bark is smooth, grey, and it gets rougher over time

  • These trees are tall and narrow and tapered at the top

  • Sticky sap on the trees

  • Cones are barrel shaped and greyish brown

  • The needles are 2 to 4 cm long, dark and shiny green with two white bands underneath

  • Commonly used for Christmas trees because of their scent, and because the needles stay present for a while after it has been cut down

  • Needles closely resemble Eastern Hemlock

  • Buds usually open in May or June 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera) 

Common Name: Balsam Poplar

Scientific Name: Populus balsamifera

Notes:

  • Found in subarctic woodlands,  moist forests and riverbank; spanning from coast to coast in Canada.

  • leaves are pointed, shiny, oval shaped with a resin dotted underside.

  • The bark is flat, grey with scaly ridges 

  • Twigs have a bitter aspirin-like taste.

  • Some low shrubs associated with balsam poplar include red osier dogwood, mountain maple, bracted honeysuckle, beaked hazel, red raspberry and prickly wild rose.

  • The buds are covered in sticky and fragrant gum.

  • Resin on the tree used to be used for cough syrup, ointments, and sealants for canoes 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uve-ursi)

Common Name: Bearberry  (Kinnikinnick)

Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos uve-ursi

Notes:

  • Can be found in foothills and alpine areas in woodland areas, open areas and sandy, well-drained sites

  • Flowers from May-June

  • Has leathery leaves with pinkish to white flowers and fruits that look like miniature apples

  • The Cree and Chipewyan cooked bearberries in lard, and mixed with other foods

  • Consuming too many berries can cause constipation

  • Teas were made from the leaves and it often leads to stomach and liver problems

  • Alpine bearberry is very similar species

  • The scientific name translates to “grape of the bear” (uva, ursi) 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) 

Common Name: Bilberry  

Scientific Name: Vaccinium myrtillus

Notes:

  • Native to Europe, but are also found in temperate and subarctic regions of the world 

  • Also know as wild European Blueberry and Whortleberry

  • Looks identical to Blueberry, but the berries are slightly smaller

  • Berries are a very deep blue where blueberries have a slight grey to them

  • Bilberry has a more acidic taste than blueberries 

  • In Europe, bilberries are commonly used in jams, syrups, juice and pies

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Birch Leaved Spiraea (Spiraea betulifolia) 

Common Name: Birch leaved spiraea

Scientific Name: Spiraea betulifolia

Notes:

  • Native to Japan and eastern Asia , it can be found commonly across Western Canada

  • Can be found in open meadows, slopes and rocky areas.  

  • They can tolerate moist to dry soils in shady wooded areas to open and sunny areas 

  • tiny white flowers that grow in clusters flower bloom between May and July

  • This plant attracts many different species of birds and butterflies 

  • In the fall, the leaves turn orange, red and purple 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Black Spruce (Picea mariana) 

Common Name: Black Spruce

Scientific Name: Picea mariana

Notes:

  • Can be found across all 10 provinces and into the United States

  • Mostly found growing in moist soils  but can tolerate different types

  • These pine trees can grow more than 20 meters tall, and more than half a meter around the circumference of the bark 

  • The bark is thin, scaly, and greyish brown 

  • Needles are four-sided and dark bluish green

  • The cones can stay attached to the branches for several years

  • Spruce beer can be made by boiling the branches

  • Boiling young twigs in water makes a tea rich in vitamin C

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Bracted Honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata)

Common Name: Bracted honeysuckle

Scientific Name: Lonicera involucrata

Notes: 

  • Found in northern to central Alberta in boreal forests, dry woods, rocky slopes, moist soils in the forest, clearings, and riverbanks.

  • yellowish flowers grow in pairs and bloom from May to July

  • Shiny purple-black berries are extremely bitter, inedible, possibly poisonous

  • Berries grow in pairs cupped by purplish bracts

  • The stems used to be used as straws for kids

  • Used to be used to prevent blood clotting after childbirth and treat venereal disease

  • Used to use stem tea to treat the flu

  • Birds, bears and other animals commonly graze on this plant  

  • Native groups used to use the purple dye for painting faces and dolls 

​

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis)

Common Name: Buffaloberry

Scientific Name: Shepherdia Canadensis

Notes:

  • Found in open woods, riverbanks areas, meadows,

  • Found at low subalpine elevations

  • Flowers bloom in early April to June before the leaves

  • Both leaves and branches grow opposite of each other 

  • Berries are edible, but ill-tasting , and rich in vitamin C

  • The underside of the leaves are hairy and and covered in rust-coloured dots

  • Natives used to make a tea to treat stomachaches, constipation and heart problems

  • Sometimes bark was used to burn and often called “stinkwood”

  • Plain tribes used to believe that buffalo were ready to hunt when the berries were ripe

  • Also called soapberry because it contains saponin, which has a soapy flavor and texture 

Bunchberry  (Cornus canadensis)

Common Name: Bunchberry

Scientific Name: Cornus canadensis

Notes:

  • Cool, moist woods, often under evergreens, acidic soil

  • Flowers in June

  • Edible red berries, but tasteless,

  • Member of the dogwood family

  • Greenish white to purplish flowers

  • Dense cluster of berries

  • Edible, but crunchy, flavourless, and poppy-seed like

  • White petals are really modified leaves surrounding a cluster of flowers in the middle

  • Explosive pollination mechanism when insects brush up against it

  • Popular food for birds and small mammals 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Buttercup (Ranunculus spp.)

Common Name: Buttercup (common buttercup)

Scientific Name: Ranunculus spp.

Notes: 

  • Belong to the ranunculus family

  • Distributed commonly worldwide, and are found in woods and fields of the northern hemisphere

  • They prefer moist habitats, meadows, near roads, woodlands, and bogs

  • Usually bloom from April to May

  • There are up to 600 species in one genus, 45 which are in Canada, so it would be ranunculus to decipher them all

  • Some species include, creeping buttercup, meadow buttercup, and glacial buttercup

  • Flowers are mostly yellow, but can sometimes be white

  • Buttercups can be recognized by their shiny petals, and they contain a “pool of nectar” near the bottom of their petals to attract insects

  • Most buttercups are extremely toxic, and can cause skin blistering or other skin irritations 

Cream-coloured vetchling  (Lathyrus ochroleucus)

Common Name: Cream-coloured vetchling

Scientific Name: Lathyrus ochroleucus

Notes:

  • aka yellow peavine

  • Can be found across northern North America 

  • Found in open woods, clearings, thickets, and lakeside 

  • Pea-like flowers are white to yellowish, and the leaves are egg-shaped   

  • These are commonly eaten by livestock

  • They cause a type of poisoning called lathyrism, which is caused by eating too much over a period of time which  can cause loss of coordination and even paralysis 

Common Juniper  (Juniperus communis)

Common Name: Common Juniper

Scientific Name: Juniperus communis

Notes:

  • This coniferous shrub is found in dry, open sites in forests from plains to alpine.

  • Needles are short and sharp, in whorls of 3 and are lighter in colour on the top and darker on the bottom. Branches are spreading and form mats and/or clumps.

  • Male and female cones are on separate plants: female plants are the ones with the blue berries that are produced from April to May– the berries are actually the cones that mature later while the male plants have actual egg shaped cones.

  • Juniper is known for causing miscarriages if consumed and was boiled to make tea for medicinal purposes.

  • Juniper is found almost anywhere in the world.

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Cut-leaved anemone (Anemone multifida)

Common Name: Cut leaved anemone

Scientific Name: Anemone multifida

Notes: ​

  • Found in rocky areas, open woods, and grassy slopes

  • Flowers are creamy white, yellowish or pinkish  

  • Often tinged with red, blue or purple on outer surface

  • Dry to moist open woods and meadows, foothills to subalpine

  • Flowers from May to August

  • The leaves are similar to Alpine Anemone  

  • Anemones produce protoanemonin which is a volatile strongly irritating oil – has been used to boil and treat lice and for killing fleas 

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Dandelion  (Taraxacum officinale)

Common Name: Dandelion

Scientific Name: Taraxacum officinale

Notes:

  • Native to Europe

  • Single yellow heads

  • Common weed found on roadsides, fields, and areas with moist soil

  • Blooms from May to August

  • The stem contains a milky juice that is high in Vitamins A and C

  • In Ireland, dandelion juice was applied to warts to kill them

  • Raw dandelions were commonly eaten

  • The Cree used to gather roots and dry them, crush them up and mix them with lard or oil to make a paste to treat eczema

  • Often, the roots are boiled to make antiseptic, and the flowers were boiled to make teas 

Douglas Fir  

(Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)

Common Name: Douglas Fir

Scientific Name: Pseudotsuga menziesii var.

   glauca

Notes:

  • There are two variations of Douglas Fir. The first, P. menziesii var. manziesii, is restricted to the Pacific coast of Canada and the United States. The second variation, P. menziesii var. glauca, is found within coniferous or mixed forests in and around the Rocky Mountains continuing down to the southern United States.

  • Also known as Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir, Blue Douglas Fir, Inland Douglas Fir, and Colorado Douglas Fir.

  • The needles of this tree are flat, not sharp, and are distinctly blue-green with a strong odor when crushed.

Dwarf Birch (Betula pumila)

Common Name: Dwarf Birch

Scientific Name: Betula pumila

Notes:

  • Can be found widely across Canada and in some areas of the northern United States.

  • Its leaves have a much lighter underside that is almost white.

  • Also known as Bog Birch, and Swamp Birch.

  • Some Native North Americans used the plant for medicinal purposes. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Dwarf Blueberry

(Vaccinium caespitosum)

Common Name: Dwarf Blueberry

Scientific Name: Vaccinium caespitosum

Notes:

  • It can be found all across Canada as well as certain areas in the western and north eastern United States.

  • The plant produces pink, single petal flowers in the late spring and early summer.

  • It produces dark blue to black berries.

  • Also known as Dwarf Bilberry, and Dwarf Huckleberry.

  • It is an important plant for various pollinators.

  • We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Early Coralroot 

(Corallorhiza trifida)

Common Name: Early Coralroot

Scientific Name: Corallorhiza trifida

Notes:

  • The Early Coralroot is native to Canada and the United States.

  • It grows from moderate to high elevations in the moist woods.

  • Blooms between May and August. The flower has various colors ranging from white, red, yellow, green, brown.

  • The plant has a symbiotic relationship with certain species of fungus. This means that the plant is partially able to create its own food but relies on fungus to supplement some nutrients.

Early Blue Violet

(Viola adunca var. adunca)

Common Name: Early Blue Violet

Scientific Name: Viola adunca var. adunca

Notes:

  • Can be widely found throughout Canada and the United States.

  • The small purple flowers bloom in early spring.

  • It prefers dry to moist meadows with lots of space to grow.

  • It is also known as Hookedspur Violet.

Engelmann Spruce

(Picea engelmannii)

Common Name: Engelmann Spruce

Scientific Name: Picea engelmannii

Notes:

  • The tree can be found in the Rocky Mountains from Alberta and British Columbia down to New Mexico and the western United States.

  • The Engelmann Spruce has short branches and stands tall like a spire. Its cones are found on the upper branches and its needles are a blue-green colour.

  • The thin lines of stomata (pores used for gas exchange) make white lines on the needles.

  • It is known to interbreed with White Spruce in areas where their distribution overlaps.

  • The wood from these trees are good for creating pianos and violins.

Evergreen Violet

(Viola sempervirens)

Common Name: Evergreen Violet

Scientific Name: Viola sempervirens

Notes:

  • Evergreen Violet can be found in moist woodlands and forests along the western coast of the United States and Canada.

  • Bright yellow flowers bloom in the spring (March through June).

  • Also known as Redwood Violet.

False Azelea (Menziesia ferruginea)

Common Name: False Azelea

Scientific Name: Menziesia ferruginea

Notes:

  • Found in western regions of Canada and the United States.

  • Prefers to grow in subalpine zones in moist and shady areas.

  • These cute bell shaped flowers bloom throughout the spring.

  • Also known as Fool’s Huckleberry, or Rusty Menziesia.

  • Native peoples may use the leaves for medicinal uses but poisonings in livestock and humans are common. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Field Chickweed

(Cerastium arvense subsp. strictum)

Common Name: Field Chickweed

Scientific Name: Cerastium arvense subsp.

   strictum

Notes:

  • Found all around Canada and the United States in a wide variety of habitats.

  • The white flowers bloom in the spring.

  • It is a small plant that only grows to be 5-20 cm tall.

  • The subspecies that we see in Alberta also grows down into South America as well as in Greenland and the Alps in Europe.

  • It is also known as Prairie Mouse-Ear Chickweed.

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

Common Name: Fireweed

Scientific Name: Chamerion angustifolium

Notes:

  • Native through temperate northern hemisphere

  • Can be found in open forests, riverbanks, and areas subject to forest fires

  • Marsh willow herb is a similar species

  • The flower of the common fireweed is the floral emblem of the Yukon

  • Flowers can be rose coloured to purple

  • Can grow up to 1.9m tall

  • Young leaves can be consumed, but mature leaves are hard to digest

Freckle Pelt

 (Peltigera aphthosa)

Common Name: Freckle Pelt

Scientific Name: Peltigera aphthosa

Notes:

  • Freckle pelt is a lichen that is native to North America in arctic, boreal, and temperate areas.  

  • In the northern native regions, lichen can live in a variety of habitats.

  • In the southern native regions, the lichen is restricted in alpine areas.

  • Freckle pelt is a distinctive green color with purple to black dots along the surface. It can be a grayer-green when it is dry. The outer edges of this lichen are lobed. The back of the leaves are white. 

  • Lichen are common indicators of pollution. If there is freckle pelt in the area, pollution can be measured easily as it is extremely susceptible to air pollution, especially in relation to sulphur dioxide and fluoride pollution.

Globe-Flower (Trollius albiflorus)

Common Name: Globe-Flower

Scientific Name: Trollius albiflorus

Notes:

  • Can be found in select regions of Alberta, British Columbia, Colourado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

  • The white flower blooms during the summer months June through September.

  • The name albiflorus means “white-flowered”.

Golden Bean (Thermopsis rhombifolia)

Common Name: Golden Bean

Scientific Name: Thermopsis rhombifolia

Notes:

  • This species can be found across Canada.

  • These tiny yellow flowers bloom in May or June.

  • Also known as Richards Buffalo Bean, Buffalo Bean, Prairie Bean, Prairie Pea, and Golden Banner.

  • The flowers, seeds, and beans in pods that form contain poisonous alkaloids. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Golden Corydalis 

(Corydalis aurea)

Common Name: Golden Corydalis

Scientific Name: Corydalis aurea 

Notes:

  • Can be found in rocky hillsides and clearings in areas throughout Canada and the United States.

  • This flower can bloom from early spring all the way till the end of summer.

  • Sometimes referred to as “Scrambled Eggs”.

  • Tea made from the flower can be used for several medicinal purposes, however, the plant is believed to be toxic. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Goldenrod Family

(Solidago spp.)

Common Name: Goldenrod Family

Scientific Name: Solidago spp.

Notes:

  • The goldenrod family comes from the Latin words for “whole” and “make” referring to its medicinal use for wounds.

  • The medicinal purposes of this family also include general anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.

  • This family is characterized by bright yellow flowers that all parts of the plant are edible**.

  • The flowers in this image aren't open. 

Grass-of-Parnassus

(Parnassia palustris)

Common Name: Grass-of-Parnassus

Scientific Name: Parnassia palustris

Notes:

  • The grass-of-Parnassus is native to Canada, Europe, Asia, and most of the United States.

  • They grow most commonly in moist to wet areas in the montane and subalpine zones. They require a large amount of water and alkaline soil for growth.

  • White flowers bloom in July. The flowers are small and white with green veins atop the upright stem with no leaves.

  • This flower is named after Mount Parnassus in central Greece and is not actually a grass but a Saxifrage. This flower can self-fertilize in the absence of pollinators.

Green Alder (Alnus viridis)

Common Name: Green Alder

Scientific Name: Alnus viridis 

Notes:

  • Can be found in several locations within Canada and the United States depending on the subspecies.

  • Usually found along streams, rivers, lakeshores, marshes, and the coastline.

  • The flowers bloom from spring to summer and may be yellow, green or brown in colour.

  • Also known as Mountain Alder or Sitka Alder.

  • Green Alder has a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live in its root nodules. These bacteria are provided a place to live and in return they fix nitrogen for the plant to use.

  • The beneficial relationship with the bacteria allows this plant to be a good early colonizer after an avalanche.

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)

Common Name: Harebell

Scientific Name: Campanula rotundifolia

Notes:

  • Can be found widely distributed across Canada as well as the United States.

  • Harebell is native to both temperate Eurasia and North America.

  • These beautiful bell flowers bloom in the summer and have a blue or light purple colour.

  • Is also called Bluebell, Scotch Bellflower, and Bluebell of Scotland. In Scotland, the plant used to be called Witches Thimble.

  • The genus name comes from the Latin word campana, which means little bell.

Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia)

Common Name: Heartleaf Arnica

Scientific Name: Arnica cordifolia

Notes:

  • Can be found in forested locations the central and western regions of Canada and the United States.

  • These yellow flowers bloom in May through July.

  • They eventually lose their petals and produce seeds with fluffy white appendages, much like a dandelion. 

  • Also known as Heart-Leaf Leopardbane.

  • This species has a positive correlation with altitude; the higher you climb, the more Heartleaf Arnica is present.

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

Common Name: Indian Paintbrush

Scientific Name: Castilleja miniata

Notes:

  • Indian paintbrush can be found in central and western Canada as well as the western United States.

  • They bloom in late spring and throughout the summer.

  • The flowers are bright red in colour.

  • There are many other paintbrush species that encompass a wide variety of brightly coloured flowers.

  • Also known as Scarlet Paintbrush, Giant Red Indian Paintbrush, Common Red Paintbrush, and Meadow Paintbrush.

  • Most Indian Paintbrushes are hemi-parasitic towards other plants and develop connections between their own roots and the roots of nearby species.

  • Some native groups drank red paintbrush and water to stimulate urination.

Labrador Tea

(Rhododendron groenlandicum)

Common Name: Labrador Tea

Scientific Name: Rhododendron groenlandicum

Notes:

  • Can be found across Canada, Greenland, and the northern United States.

  • Prefers to grow in moist conditions but can also be found in dry, rocky areas in the mountains.

  • Previously known as Ledum groenlandicum.

  • There is some evidence that the Labrador Tea inhibits the growth of nearby plants.

  • The leaves have a very resinous odour. 

  • It has been used as an extension of black tea supplies during the fur-trading era, however, the plant can cause drowsiness and acts as a strong diuretic. It can also be easily confused with three other toxic plant species that contain poisonous alkaloids. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Large-leaved avens (Geum macrophyllum)

Common Name: Large-leaved Avens

Scientific Name: Geum macrophyllum

Notes:

  • This perennial herb is found is moist areas from foothills to montane.

  • Leaves are basal and alternate, pinnately divided into 5-9 leaflets, egg to heart shaped.

  • Flowers are saucer-shaped and bright yellow in colour with 5 broad petals, bloom from May-August.

  • Fruits are achenes with stiff long hooks at the tips that are bur-like.

  • The Cree called this plant the “jealousy plant” because when a person walks by and someone is jealous of them, the spurs stick to his/her clothing as if someone were trying to harm them.

Limber Pine 

(Pinus flexilis)

Common Name: Limber Pine

Scientific Name: Pinus flexilis

Notes:

  • This coniferous evergreen tree is very common in the Rocky Mountain region from foothills to alpine, in warm ridges and rocky slopes.

  • Can be 4-15m tall, with short and stout trunks, and thick branches in plume-like whorls, hanging with their tips facing upwards.

  • Bark is smooth and light when young but darkens and cracks with age.

  • Needles are in bundles of 5 and area dark yellowish-green colour with smooth edges.

  • Male and female cones are on the same tree. Male cones are a red-ish colour while female cones are a light brown.

  • These trees are very resistant to climate changes and can survive cold temperatures and dry seasons. This tree is long-lived, surviving well over 1000 years.

  • First Nations ate the seeds of this tree and burned the cones and branches for good luck.

Lodgepole Pine 

(Pinus contorta)

Common Name: Lodgepole Pine

Scientific Name: Pinus contorta

Notes:

  • This coniferous evergreen is commonly found in moist to dry areas from foothills to montane.

  • Can grow to be 20-35m tall, the trunk straight with upward curving branches.

  • Bark is grey to orangey-brown, thin and scaly.

  • Male and female cones are on the same tree. Cones are very spiky when picked up. Male cones are reddish to yellowish-green while female cones are smaller and brown when mature.

  • This tree is short-lived and live less than 200 years, periodically burned down in forest fires.

  • Inner bark is said to be sweet and succulent, especially in May and June as the sap is running.

  • Seeds and needles were boiled to make tea that is high in Vitamin C and was taken to prevent or cure scurvy. Still enjoyed today! Although large amounts can be toxic and can negatively affect pregnancy.

  • The Lodgepole Pine ins the official tree of Alberta.

Long Fruited Anemone

(Anemone cylindrica)

Common Name: Long Fruited Anemone

Scientific Name: Anemone cylindrica

Notes:

  • It can found growing in Canada from British Columbia to Quebec, as well as in the northern and central United States.

  • This flower is part of the buttercup family and blooms a pale yellow flower in the spring.

  • Also known as Candle Anemone, Long-Headed Thimbleweed, Prairie Thimbleweed, and Thimbleweed.

  • All parts of this plant are poisonous. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Meadow Rue

(Thalictrum dasycarpum)

Common Name: Meadow Rue

Scientific Name: Thalictrum dasycarpum

Notes:

  • It can be found in the central area of Canada (Alberta to Ontario) and the central region of the United States all the way from the north to the south.

  • It prefers to grow in wet areas such as riparian woods, swamps, marsh land as well as in the prairies.

  • Meadow Rue may bloom variations of white, yellow, green, or purple flowers in the spring months.

  • It is part of the buttercup family and is also known as Purple Meadow-Rue, and Tall Meadow-Rue.

  • In the first century AD, the plant was recommended for baldness prevention and promoting hair growth. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Low Bush Cranberry (Squashberry or Mooseberry)

(Viburnum edule)

Common Name: Low Bush Cranberry/Squashberry/Mooseberry

Scientific Name: Viburnum edule

  • Low-bush Cranberry is widespread across Alberta and commonly found in moist forests, thickets and in wetlands or banks of streams.

  • This shrub can grow to be 0.5-2m tall with smooth bark that is reddish to dark grey.

  • Leaves are opposite, sharply toothed with hairs underneath.

  • Flowers are 3-30 in flat to rounded clusters on short stems. Flowers are small, white, and bloom in late May to early June.

  • Fruits are orange or red berries that droop from the stems.

  • Sometimes called the highbush-cranberry, which often leads to confusion between V. edule and V. opulus (American bush-Cranberry) which is also called the highbush-cranberry.

  • Bark was widely used to help relieve menstrual cramps

  • Fruit was made into sauces and juices although consuming too much can cause stomach pain.

  • Roots boiled in to medicinal teas to soothe pain associated with teething.

Meadow Rue

(Thalictrum dasycarpum)

Common Name: Meadow Rue

Scientific Name: Thalictrum dasycarpum

Notes:

  • It can be found in the central regions of Canada and the United States.

  • It prefers to grow in wet areas such as riparian woods, swamps, marsh land as well as in the prairies.

  • Meadow Rue flowers bloom in the spring and may be white, yellow, green, or purple.

  • It is part of the buttercup family and is also known as Purple Meadow-Rue, and Tall Meadow-Rue.

  • Meadow Rue leaves are very delicate and resemble the herb Rue.

  • In the first century AD, the plant was recommended for baldness prevention and promoting hair growth. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Menzies' Neckera

(Metaneckera menziesii)

Common Name: Menzies' Neckera

Scientific Name: Metaneckera menziesii

Notes:

  • This moss is very abundant in the Rocky Mountain region and is often found in large colonies in shaded ridges and cliff faces.

  • The “leaves” are flattened together and spreading, strongly wavy and tongue-shaped. Stems are hanging and lightly covered in green hairs.

  • Have capsules that are egg-shaped and enclosed in the leaves of the female plant.

  • Is the only moss found in the Rockies that has flattened leaves and grows on cliff faces.

Mountain Cinquefoil

(Potentilla flabellifolia)

Common Name: Mountain Cinquefoil

Scientific Name: Potentilla flabellifolia

Notes:

  • Mountain Cinquefoil can be found in the western regions and mountains along the coast of Canada and the United States.

  • It prefers to grow in moist areas, next to streams, in marshes, along lakeshores, as well as in woodlands, and subalpine and alpine areas.

  • It blooms orange or yellow flowers in the summer.

  • It is also known as High Mountain Cinquefoil, Mount Rainier Cinquefoil, Fanleaf, or Fanfoil.

  • Cinquefoil means "five leaves" because many of the species in this family have five radiating leaflets.

Nodding Locoweed

(Oxytropis deflexa)

Common Name: Nodding Locoweed

Scientific Name: Oxytropis deflexa

Notes:

  • The nodding locoweed is native to North America and Siberia.

  • Part of the Pea family.

  • It grows in moist areas with sandy to gravelly terrain.

  • This perennial plant with bloom during June to August. Five to 25 small flowers bloom ranging from white, pink, blue or purple.

  • This plant has a fuzzy stem and leaves. The plant has the characteristic pinnately compound leaves of the Pea Family.

  • Many locoweeds produce a phytotoxin that is poisonous to livestock.

  • They have root nodules containing bacteria which get nitrogen for the plant.

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Northwestern Sedge (Carex concinnoide)

Common Name: Northwestern sedge

Scientific Name: Carex concinnoide

Notes:

  • Native to western North America

  • Can be found in moist or dry environments,  woodland, forested slopes and in silty and clay soils

  • Flowers are a cream/white colour that blooms between April and June 

  • The sheaths of the plant are reddish brown 

Northern Fairy Candelabra (Androsace septentrionalis)

Common Name: Northern Fairy Candelabra

Scientific Name: Androsace septentrionalis

Notes:

  • Can be found in the western United States and throughout Canada.

  • Grows in a wide variety of locations including grassland, tundra and forested areas.

  • Small white flowers bloom in the late spring and into the summer.

  • The arranged flower stalks are long and were the reason behind the “candelabra” part of the name. However, it is also well known as Pygmyflower, or Rock Jasmine.

Northern Gooseberry

(Ribes oxyacanthoides)

Common Name: Northern Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Ribes oxyacanthoides

Notes:

  • This deciduous shrub is found in moist woods in plains to montane from the Yukon and NWT to Wyoming.

  • Leaves are similar to maple leaves, alternate with 3-5 lobes, round-toothed, usually hairy underneath. Branches are distinctively covered in sharp spines.

  • Flowers are tubular with 5 small petals and white-ish to pale greenish-yellow in colour.

  • Fruits are smooth berries that are white when young and mature to be red to blueish-purple in colour.

  • Northern gooseberries are often used for jams or pies while the thorns were used as needles for probing boils, removing splinters, and tattooing.

  • Blister rust is invasive to North American from Europe and uses Ribes species as its host and so there was an unsuccessful attempt to eradicate these shrubs with the hope to stop the Blister rust from spreading.

Northern Fairy Candelabra (Androsace septentrionalis)

Common Name: Northern Fairy Candelabra

Scientific Name: Androsace septentrionalis

Notes:

  • Can be found in the western United States and throughout Canada.

  • Grows in a wide variety of habitats, including grassland, tundra and alpine meadows.

  • Small white flowers bloom in the late spring and into the summer.

  • These tiny flowers are fragrant and arranged on long branched stems like a candelabra.

  • It is also well known as Pygmyflower, or Rock Jasmine.

Oxeye Daisy

(Leucanthemum vulgare)

Common Name: Oxeye Daisy

Scientific Name: Leucanthemum vulgare

Notes:

  • This is an aggressive and invasive weed species native to many countries including Europe. There are no native white-flowered daisies in Alberta.

  • It can be found throughout Canada and the United States in meadows and clearings.

  • It grows in a wide range of habitats and can grow in poor soil conditions.

  • Oxeye Daisies bloom between June and August. The flowers are white with a bright yellow center. There are from 20 to 30 white petals per flower. The leaves are long with a toothed edge.

  • The Scentless Chamomile has similar looking flowers but can be easily distinguished by the leaves.

  • In Austria and Germany, the Oxeye Daisy is a common household flower as it is believed it would repel lightening.

  • Formerly known as Chrysanthemum leucanthemum.

  • The Alberta Invasive Species Council encourages people to report sightings of any invasive species they encounter through The Early Detection Distribution Mapping System for Alberta (EDDMaps Alberta) either online or through the app.

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Palmate-leaved Coltsfoot

(Petasites palmatus)

Common Name: Palmate-leaved Coltsfoot

Scientific Name: Petasites palmatus

Notes:

  • This plant is found in moist woods and wetlands, widespread across boreal forest to Great Bear Lake and eastern Yukon.

  • Leaves are round to heart or kidney shaped at stem base and then deeply divided into 5-7 toothed lobes. Leaves are green in colour and hairless above but lightly woolly underneath.

  • Flowers are in clusters of several 8-12 mm wide heads on white-woolly stalks. Rayed flowers are an off-white while the disc flowers are pink-ish.

  • Fruits are hairless achenes that are soft and white.

  • The Cree used the leaves of this plant as poultices on infected sores or as a salve to relieve insect bites, inflammation, swellings, burns, and skin problems.

  • Sometimes the leaves and flower heads were boiled into tea to help with diarrhea although strong doses have been known to cause abortion.

Pink Wintergreen

(Pyrola asarifolia)

Common Name: Pink Wintergreen

Scientific Name: Pyrola asarifolia

Notes:

  • Can be found in moist wooded areas

  • Flowers are pale pink to purplish red, bell or cup shaped flowers, curved and bend downwards

  • Flowers from June to August 

  • Can be mistaken for Arctic Wintergreen, and the leaves closely resemble wild ginger

  • The Cree used this plant to stimulate urine production and to clear the urinary tract

  • The Chipewyan used crushed leaves mixed with lard to stop bleeding on cuts

  • Leaves were chewed for tooth ache relief, and leaves were boiled to wash sore eyes

  • Cree called it “beaver ears” because of its appearance  

  • They mostly derive their food from dead matter (saprophytic)

Praire Crocus 

(Anemone patens)

Common Name: Praire Crocus

Scientific Name: Anemone patens

Notes:

  • It is native to Canada and parts of Europe.

  • Grows in the prairies and dry, open woods with sandy soil at higher altitudes.

  • The flower has blue or purple flowers with a bright yellow stamen and white fuzzy hairs. Once the flower falls off, leaves appear and a feathery cluster of seeds appears in its place.

  • They bloom as early as March.

  • They open during the day but close at the night. The genus comes from the Greek word for wind, ‘Anemone’. This name is because it was believed that the flowers blossomed when the wind blew again in the springtime. 

Purple Milkvetch (Astragalus agrestis)

Common Name: Purple Milkvetch

Scientific Name: Astragalus agrestis

Notes:

  • It can be found widely across Canada as well as the northern half of the United States.

  • The soft purple flower blooms in May or June for a short amount of time.

  • All plants in the Astragalus genus are potentially toxic to both human and animals, and if consumed by an animal, their milk may also be poisonous. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Purple Virgin's-Bower

(Clematis occidentalis)

Common Name: Purple Virgin's-Bower

Scientific Name: Clematis occidentalis

Notes:

  • This flower has a broad range including rocky forests, riverbanks, and bedrock.

  • It is part of the buttercup family. Purple Virgin’s-Bower is native to Canada and the United States.

  • This flower grows on a vine that winds around the leaf stalks of other plants. The flowers are bell-shaped and blue to purple. They bloom between May and June for about a week.

  • The flowers attract various wildlife species but are extremely poisonous to humans. If any part is consumed it results in severe pain of the mouth. It will also cause irritations and burning sensation if touched or inhaled. This plant is TOXIC. **

Ragworts and Grounsels

(Senecio spp.)

Common Name: Ragworts and Groundsels

Scientific Name: Senecio spp.

Notes:

  • Ragworts and Groundsels grow on most soils except where it is excessively wet or poorly drained.

  • The stems are fuzzy with gray hairs that glitter in the sunlight. 

  • It is a tall plant with small daisy-like flowers that blooms between July and October.

  • Ragweed species are poisonous to cattle and horses.

  • Groundsels are weeds that can survive anywhere from fertile land to garbage areas. It is a common host for rust fungus, aiding in the infection of nearby plants. They flower from April to October. This plant is diuretic and was formerly used for medicinal purposes. **

Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra.)

Common Name: Red baneberry 

Scientific Name: Actaea rubs

Notes:

  • Native to North America in wet soils, and open forests.

  • Part of the buttercup family.

  • This plant produces an elongated cluster of small white flowers.

  • Leaves are coarsely toothed and divided into 3 lobes.

  • The berries are shiny, bright red berries with a tiny black dot at the end, and are eaten by many small mammals.

  • These berries are Extremely Poisonous and can lead to death. We do not recommend consuming any plant material when hiking. Misidentification is common and may result in adverse effects.

Red-Osier Dogwood 

(Cornus sericea var. stolonifera)

Common Name: Red-Osier Dogwood

Scientific Name: Cornus sericea var. stolonifera

Notes:

  • This plant grows all across Canada and the United States with the exception of the southeastern states.

  • It prefers to grow in wet meadows and moist forests.

  • Clusters of small white flowers bloom in May or June, followed by clusters of white berries, commonly eaten by songbirds.

  • The Red-Osier Dogwood is a medium to large shrub ranging from three to ten feet.

  • Red Osier Dogwood is useful for erosion control on stream banks.

  • The stems and twigs are red to purple in colour.

  • Its name comes from the reddish twigs that resemble basketry willows called osiers.

Richardson’s Sedge

(Carex richardsonii)

Common Name: Richardson's Sedge

Scientific Name: Carex richardsonii

Notes:

  • Richardson’s Sedge is native to Canada and northeastern United States.

  • Sedges are closely related to grass but are in different families. 

  • It grows in sandy prairies and generally where the soil is dry.

  • Their leaves are like V's in cross section, "Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses are hollow right to the ground".

  • Blooms between April and May. When it fruits in May, the fruit is covered with dark purple to brown scales with white edging.

  • This sedge has red or purple tinged leaves that can be smooth and hairless or rough and hairy. The tip has a head of fleshy spikes. The scales on this sedge make it distinct from other sedges. 

Round-leaved Orchid

(Platanthera orbiculata)

Common Name: Round-leaved Orchid

Scientific Name: Platanthera orbiculata

Notes:

  • This flower is native to both the United States and Canada.

  • Grows on moist forest floors, swamps, and woodlands.

  • Perennial plant that blooms between May and August. It has up to 25 small flowers sprouting from a single stalk. The flowers are normally white to a very light green color.

  • Globally the flower is considered to be endangered but it is vulnerable through North America and rare in several states.

  • It readily attracts moths, most noticeably larger hawk moths.

Scouring Rush

(Equisetum arvense)

Common Name: Scouring Rush

Scientific Name: Equisetum arvense

Notes:

  • This plant can be found widely distributed across both Canada and the United States.

  • It prefers to grow in open or wooded areas along streams or moist areas.

  • It is not a flowering plant but is related to ferns and reproduces like them using spores.

  • The reproductive shoot is topped by a light brown cone.

  • Also known as Canuela, Horsetail, or Scouring Rush Horsetail.

  • The plant’s growth is known to be very aggressive.

  • The image displayed shows young shoots.

Showy Aster

(Eurybia spectabilis)

Common Name: Showy Aster

Scientific Name: Eurybia spectabilis

Notes:

  • The showy aster is native to the eastern coast of the United States and Canada.

  • It commonly inhabits dryer clearings, sandy terrain, and the Boreal forest.

  • Perennial plant that blooms a light purple to blue from August to October.

  • Showy asters are part of the Aster family which are notoriously hard to identify. They attract bees and butterflies.

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Star-flowered Solomon's Seal

(Maianthemum stellatum)

Common Name: Star Flowered Solomon’s Seal

Scientific Name: Maianthemum stellatum

Notes:

-- This pretty flower is found in moist habitats and forests.

-- Flowers are white and star-shaped with berry green and purpled striped fruit that turn black when mature.

-- First Nations people would dry and grind the roots of this plant and used the powder to stop bleeding.

-- Livestock readily eat this plant.

Silver Buffaloberry

(Shepherdia argentea)

Common Name: Silver Buffaloberry

Scientific Name: Shepherdia argentea

Notes:

  • The Silver Buffaloberry is native to Canada and the western portion of the United States.

  • Its habitat can vary from riparian areas to dryer areas.

  • This shrub blooms yellow flowers in March and produces bright red buffaloberries that mature in the fall.

  • This shrub is drought and erosion tolerant. The berries are a food source for birds and deer in late July and August.

  • Humans can technically eat the ripe fruit but in moderation due to its saponin content. This plant is TOXIC. **

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Star-flowered Solomon's Seal

(Maianthemum stellatum)

Common Name: Star Flowered Solomon’s Seal

Scientific Name: Maianthemum stellatum

Notes:

-- This pretty flower is found in moist habitats and forests.

-- Flowers are white and star-shaped with berry green and purpled striped fruit that turn black when mature.

-- First Nations people would dry and grind the roots of this plant and used the powder to stop bleeding.

-- Livestock readily eat this plant.

Skunk Currant

(Ribes glandulosum)

Common Name: Skunk Currant

Scientific Name: Ribes glandulosum

Notes:

  • The Skunk Currant is native to most of the United States and Canada.

  • This shrub is tolerant of sun or shade and is found in woodlands, near water sources, edge of the forest, and rocky bluffs. 

  • Flowers white, pink, yellow, green, purple, and brown and is an important food source for bees.

  • The red berries are covered in spiky hairs and may be considered edible. **

  • The skunk currant gets its name from the skunk-like smell the ripe fruits give off.

  • They often carry white pine rust which kills pine trees.

Aster.  (Scientific name)

Common Name: Aster 

Scientific Name:

Notes:

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Star-flowered Solomon's Seal

(Maianthemum stellatum)

Common Name: Star Flowered Solomon’s Seal

Scientific Name: Maianthemum stellatum

Notes:

-- This pretty flower is found in moist habitats and forests.

-- Flowers are white and star-shaped with berry green and purpled striped fruit that turn black when mature.

-- First Nations people would dry and grind the roots of this plant and used the powder to stop bleeding.

-- Livestock readily eat this plant.

Star-flowered Solomon's Seal

(Maianthemum stellatum)

Common Name: Star Flowered Solomon’s Seal

Scientific Name: Maianthemum stellatum

Notes:

  • This pretty flower is found in moist habitats and forests.

  • Flowers are white and star-shaped followed by green and black berries that eventually turn red.

  • First Nations people would dry and grind the roots of this plant and used the powder to stop bleeding.

  • Livestock readily eat this plant.

Sticky/Viscid Locoweed

(Oxytropis borealis/viscida)

Common Name: Sticky/Viscid Locoweed

Scientific Name: Oxytropis borealis/viscida

Notes:

  • This sticky plant is found in dry areas, shady areas, in exposed ridges in the alpine and meadow regions.

  • Leaves are basal, densely formed around the flowering stem. Leaves are also compound with 11 to 25 pairs of leaflets.

  • Flowers are clustered in 5-20 flowers that lengthen into a short spike. Flowers are pink to purple in colour and turn blue later. Upper petal has a large white patch streaked with darker lines and the adjacent petals fold over to create a “beak” at the tip.

  • Named because their surface has sticky hairs

  • Also have sticky legume-shaped fruit

Subalpine Fir 

(Abies lasiocarpa)

Common Name: Subalpine Fir

Scientific Name: Abies lasiocarpa

Notes:

  • Native to the Rocky Mountains, the subalpine fir grows in subalpine terrain above 8,000 feet.

  • It requires acidic soil, any amount of light, and moist terrain.

  • The subalpine fir is a small evergreen measuring between 30 feet and 50 feet at maturity, smaller than other conifers. The needles are pale, bluish-green needles with a pleasant resinous smell. The bark is lighter resembling chalk.

  • During April and May, the cones emerge and are a bright purple until maturity.

  • This fir is disease and insect resistant.

Sweet coltsfoot 

(Petasites frigidus)

Common Name: Sweet coltsfoot

Scientific Name: Petasites frigidus

Notes:

  • Found in moist and wet areas, foothills to alpine.

  • Have small white flowers with narrow petals in a cluster at the top of the stem.

  • Fruits are small and hairless.

  • The leaves were used by First Nations peoples in poultices and salves to relieve bites, inflammation, burns, sores, and skin problems.

  • The roots were chewed or made into teas for the treatment of respiratory illnesses, sore throats, and stomach ulcers. Strong doses have been said to cause abortion.

Tall Whitlow Grass 

(Draba praealta)

Common Name: Tall Whitlow Grass 

Scientific Name: Draba praealta

Notes:

  • Found in moist forests, meadows, and rocky slopes and subalpine zones.

  • Leaves are mostly basal and stem leaves are egg-shaped with hairs.

  • Flowers are bright yellow with 4 petals in a cross shape on top of long stems.

  • Fruits are narrow with soft hairs.

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Trembling Aspen

(Populus tremuloides)

Common Name: Trembling Aspen 

Scientific Name: Populus tremuloides

Notes:

  • The Trembling Aspen is native in North American and can be found as far south as central Mexico.

  • Widespread but often close to water. It is generally indifferent to soil type and quality.

  • This tree blooms drooping catkins between April and May. During the fall, the normally green leaves turn yellow and brown before falling.

  • The name refers to the leaves which move at the slightest breeze. Often a pioneer species after wildfires.

  • They are also very susceptible to diseases and insect infestations.

Venus' Slipper

(Calypso bulbosa)

Common Name: Venus' Slipper 

Scientific Name: Calypso bulbosa 

Notes:

  • Found in dry to moist forests

  • Have small capsule fruits

  • Flowers are white or light purple and very fragrant -- best to lie down to smell them!

  • Very fragile but can grow in large clumps with dozens of other flowers. 

  • Often picked and this is leading to extermination

Western Blue Flax

(Linum lewisii)

Common Name: Wild/Western Blue Flax

Scientific Name: Linum lewisii 

Notes:

  • Perennial herb that is found in dry, open or partly-shaded areas; plains to mountains from Alaska to New Mexico.

  • Flowers are saucer-shaped in varied shades of blue with 5 fragile petals that bloom from May to August. Flowers usually open in the morning and fade later during the day.

  • This plant is often confused with the Common Harebell but can be distinguished by their free petals and wide saucer shaped flowers.

  • The stems are long and tough and can be used to make rope, cord, fishing lines and nets.

Western Cliff Fern 

Woodsia oregana 

Common Name: Western Cliff Fern 

Scientific Name: Woodsia oregana

Notes:

  • This delicate, hairless fern is found in dry, open sites as well as rocky slopes from foothills to alpine region in BC and Alberta to New Mexico.

  • Leaves are lance-shaped and tapered on both ends, pinnately divided into round-toothed or lobed leaflets.

  • Plant is brown at the base and lightens to a straw-colour at the top.

  • Spores are round dots located underneath the leaves.

  • Grows 5-25cm tall

  • This species is easily confused with fragile fern and mountain cliff-fern but these differ slightly in colour and shape.

Western Meadowrue

(Thalictrum occidentale)

Common Name: Western Meadowrue

Scientific Name: Thalictrum occidentale

Notes:

  • Western Meadowrue is native to western Canada and western United States.

  • It can be found in moist meadows in lowland to subalpine zones.

  • This perennial herb blooms open clusters of green-brown flowers between May and July. The leaves are soft, thin, and highly divided sprouting from the creeping stems.

  • The Western Meadowrue produces two different flowers depending if the flower is male or female. The male flowers are bell shaped and green, brown, white, or purple. The female is like the male but it has many long, purple stamens tipped with large anthers hanging from the calyx.

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Western Wild Parsley

(Lomatium tritematum)

Common Name: Western Wild Parsley

Scientific Name: Lomatium tritematum

Notes:

  • Found in dry prairie grasslands.

  • Leaves are basal or alternate, compound and divided multiple times into slim leaflets, with the base of each leaf being a purple-ish green.

  • Small 5 petaled yellow flowers in loose, flat-topped clusters at the top of stems. Flowers bloom from June-August.

  • Fruits are schizocarps (break into single-seeded segments when mature).

  • The Blackfoot ate the roots of this plant.

White Clover 

(Trifolium repens)

Common Name: White Clover 

Scientific Name: Trifolium repens

Notes:

  • White Clovers are native to North America, Central Asia, and Europe.

  • They can grow in a large range of habitats but mostly in fields and pastures.

  • This plant blooms white, sweet-smelling flowers in a spherical cluster. The flowers bloom from June to August and produce an abundance of nectar for bees.

  • The name, Trifolium, means three leaves referring to the three leaflets of the White Clover. The white clover is common in lawns and parks.

  • They are commonly trampled and eaten in pastures and grazing land.

White Spruce

(Picea glauca)

Common Name: White Spruce

Scientific Name: Picea glauca 

Notes:

  • The White Spruce is a common evergreen that can grow up to 100 feet tall if not more.

  • This evergreen is native to North America. It grows in most upland areas and moist riverbanks.

  • Has sharp, pointed needles which is a differentiating feature from Fir species which have soft needles.

  • The tree blooms long, skinny cones between April and May. The cones can vary from a redder colour to yellow. The cones are mostly located on the top branches of each tree.

  • The white spruce is a very tolerant tree to wind, heat, cold, drought, and pests.

  • It is important for the pulp and paper industry in Canada. It is also used from lumber and woodwind instruments.

Common Name: Wild Mint 

Scientific Name: Mentha arvensis

Notes:

  • This aromatic perennial herb is found in moist to wet areas in open or shaded sites from plains to mountains.

  • These funnel shaped flowers have 4 spreading lobes that are light purple or pink to white-ish. Many flowers are in compact whorls and bloom from July to September.

  • Each plant has 4 small, egg-shaped nutlets.

  • Mint has been introduced from Europe and has spread inconsistently across North America.

  • Mint has and is presently used in cooking, teas, medicines, perfume, and air fresheners. Mint was often used by hunters to mask the human scent.

Wild Mint

(Mentha arvensis)

Wild Strawberry

 (Fragaria virginiana)

Common Name: Wild Strawberry 

Scientific Name: Fragaria virginiana

Notes:

  • This perennial herb is found in well-drained open sites from plain to subalpine ranging from the Yukon and NWT to New Mexico.

  • The leaves are distinctively basal, divided into 3 sharply toothed leaflets.

  • Flowers have white, saucer-shaped petals around a yellow centre and bloom from May to August.

  • Fruit are red fleshy strawberries embedded with tiny seeds, and are much more flavourful than domesticated varieties.

  • Wild strawberry is the original parent of 90 percent of cultivated strawberry plants.

Wild/Prickly Rose

(Rosa acicularis)

Common Name: Wild/Prickly Rose

Scientific Name: Rosa acicularis

Notes:

  • Often found on the edge of woodlands, roadsides, and pastures, dry to moist areas in plains to subalpine.

  • Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 5-7 oblong leaflets that are sharply double-toothed and hairy underneath. Stems are covered with dense prickles – hence, prickly rose.

  • Flowers are pink, saucer-shaped, with 5 broad petals and blooms June-August.

  • Fruit are bright red round to pear-shaped “hips” that enclose many achenes.

  • Prairie or Wood rose is very similar but the hips are much smaller and rounder; instead of prickles it has large thorns.

  • Rose hips have an edible fleshy-outside and remain on the branches throughout winter, so they are a food-source for animals. They are rich in vitamins, however, can cause “itchy bum” if eaten whole.

  • Prickly/wild rose is the flower of Alberta.

Willow 

(Salicaceae spp.)

Common Name: Willow

Scientific Name: Salicaceae spp.

Notes:

  • The Willow family consists of bushes and trees that are notoriously hard to identify. As hard as they are to identify to species, the family itself is easily recognizable.

  • Willows produce catkins which very in colour and size depending on the species. These catkins as well as the leaves are food sources for birds and mammals. 

  • Species of the Willow family are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, astringent and diuretic. All species of willow contain salicin, the precursor to salicylic acid found in Aspirin. If injured, a strip of the bark can be tied over a cut and will serve as an antiseptic and a bandage. First Nations used to chew the bark to reduce inflammation, however, large quantities of willow can irritate the stomach lining the same way Aspirin does. **

Yarrow

(Achillea millefolium)

Common Name: Yarrow

Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium

Notes:

  • This aromatic perennial is found in meadows, woods, clearings, and is widespread across the region.

  • Leaves are fern-like, alternate and pinnately divided 2-3 times.

  • Flowers are small and shite with 5 ray petals in flat topped clusters.

  • Fruits are hairless, flattened achenes.

  • Fossils have suggest that this plan has been used by humans for more than 60, 000 years. Yarrow has been used for medicinal properties by the First Nations and is still used to fumigate a room where someone has been sick. Yarrow has insecticidal properties as well as anti-bacterial resistance against Staphylococcus aureus.

Yellow Columbine

(Aquilegia flavescens)

Common Name: Yellow Columbine

Scientific Name: Aquilegia flavescens

Notes:

  • Found in open forests and gravelly slopes

  • Leaves are basal, compound and divided into several coarsely toothed leaflets.

  • Flowers are yellow, sometimes pink or red tinged, drooped, with 5 petals and bloom in June-July.

  • The leaves of a young columbine can be used in salads and taste like snow-peas when steamed.

Yellow Mountain Avens

(Dryas drummondii)

Common Name: Yellow Mountain Avens

Scientific Name: Dryas drummondii 

Notes:

  • Can be found in open areas, usually on gravel like on roadsides and riverbanks. Grow throughout Rockies foothills to alpine areas  from Idaho through Alberta and BC to Alaska.

  • Leaves are thick and leathery and wedge shaped

  • Have distinctive yellow bell or cup shaped flowers that bloom from June to July

  • Fruits are achenes with feathery styles that grow from July-August

  • Prefer chalky substrates and was said to be named after the Dryades, the daughters of Zeus and the nymphs of the oak because the leaves of some species were thought to resemble tiny oak leaves. The leaves can be used to make tea.

Yellow Sweet-Vetch

(Hedysarum sulphurescens)

Common Name: Yellow Sweet-Vetch

Scientific Name: Hedysarum sulphurescens

Notes:

  • Found in moderately dry to moist habitats, in open or shaded sites from plains to subalpine in Alberta and BC to Wyoming.

  • Leaves are alternate and pinnate with pointed tips and prominent veins.

  • Flowers are a light yellow, pea-like, and hang in long 20-100 flowered clusters that bloom in June-July.

  • Fruits are hanging flattened pods with 2-4 bumps and are winged on the edges.

  • Sweet-vetches can be distinguished by their pods that look like flattened strings of beads and their veiny leaves.

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