Wildflowers Found in Kananaskis and Canada’s Rocky Mountains

Wild roses, Rosa acicularis, Alberta’s provincial flower, are abundant through the foothills, prairies, and mountains.

Wild roses are a native plant in Alberta, BC, as far east as Nova Scotia and north into the territories.

The flowers range from light pink to deep tones. The roses grow on bushes with small, compound leaves and thorny stems. In the late summer you can see rose hips on the plant that stay on the bush through the winter.

Fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium, is a flower of hope in the mountains. It’s common name comes from the plant’s rapid growth in regions following a wildfire; however, they can be found throughout the country regardless of wildfires.

Fireweed is a native plant found from BC to Newfoundland and across all three territories.

With its bright purple flowers and long, flat leaves, fireweed is distinctive. It can grow up to 180 cm, or close to 6 feet.

The shooting star, Primula conjugens, is a bright purple/pink colour, and can be found across Alberta’s prairies and mountains.

The shooting star is native to BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

Shooting stars have a leafless stalk with five petals. The stamens and dark anthers stick forward in a point towards the ground and the petals flex towards the sky.

Calypso orchid, Calypso bulbosa, is a pink flower with a single large leaf at its base. It has this petals above and a bulb, slipper-like petal around the stamen.

Calypso orchids are native across Canada.

The flowers are very delicate, and stepping on the plant can kill it. This orchid is most common in the west, occurring at moderately high elevations in the Rocky Mountains.

Calypso orchids bloom May through July. This photo was taken along Vents Ridge trail in Elbow Valley, Kananaskis, in early June.

Northern sweet-vetch, Hedysarum borale, is a bright, pink/purple flower that can be found throughout Canada, particularly in alpine regions.

The northern sweet-vetch is found across Canada, typically growing at elevations between 1,200 metres and 2,400 metres.

This flower is part of the pea family. The roots of the plant are a popular food source for grizzly bears, particularly in spring and fall when berries aren’t available. The plant has small, compound leaves divided into leaflets. The sweet-vetch are known for their nitrogen-fixing abilities, which improves soil quality.

Harebells, Campanula rotundifolia, can be found in every Canadian province and territory. They are distinctive flowers with a blue/purple colour.

Harebells are native to all regions of Canada.

Harebells grow in clumps, from 4 to 18 inches tall (15-45 cm), and can be found across the Rocky Mountains.

The harebell blooms from June until the end of September. This photo was taken at the end of July in the Lake Louise area.

Arrowleaf Balsalmroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata, is a bright yellow flower that often grows in large patches on hillsides and in the prairies at mid-range elevations.

The arrowleaf balsalmroot is native to southwestern Alberta and southern BC.

The plant is named for its arrow-shaped leaves, which have tiny hair-like follicles. They can grow up to 60 cm in height and can grow taproots that weigh as much as 30 pounds.

Arrowleaf Balsalmroot typically flowers between April and July, depending on the snowmelt, but some flowers may remain into September.

Blanketflower, Gaillardia aristata, is an aster found across the prairies and hilly areas, attracting pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and birds.

This flower is native in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Blanketflowers have a beautiful, rich colour gradient, with bright orange centres and yellow tips of their petals. They are a popular plant in gardens as well, due to their beauty and attractiveness to beneficial insects (pollinators).

Arnica is widespread throughout North American, with 15 different arnica species found in Alberta. Heart-leaf arnica, Arnica cordifolia, is found throughout forested areas from the lowlands to the subalpine.

There are 26 species of arnica found across North America. All have bright yellow (sometimes orangey) flowers.

Heart-leaf arnica is recognizable by its broad, heart-shaped leaves. Other common species found in the Canadian Rockies include broadleaf arnica, narrowleaf arnica, shining arnica, twin arnica, and alpine arnica.

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, is commonly considered a weed that most people want to eradicate from their lawns.

The common dandelion is not native to North America. It was brought over intentionally from Europe. The

Despite being a common lawn pest, dandelions have some benefits as well. They provide both pollen and nectar to insects, and often bloom earlier than other flowers, providing an early food source. Bears are also a fan of dandelions, particularly in the spring and earlier summer before many berries are available.

Wood Lily, Lilium philadelphicum, is a large, bright orange flower with six petals.

The wood lily is native to southern Alberta, southeastern BC, and across Saskatchewan east to Quebec. They are Saskatchewan’s provincial flower!

Wood lilies start to emerge in mid-June and stay out into July. They grow from a bulb which typically puts out one flower, but can produce up to three. The plants are very sensitive and picking the flower will kill the entire plant.

This photo was taken along Paddy’s Flat Interpretive Trail in Elbow Valley, Kananaskis, in late June.

Red paintbrushes, Castilleja miniata, are an incredibly common wildflower found across the Canadian Rockies.

The flower is native to BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Western Ontario.

The red paintbrush is found from lower elevation grasslands up into the alpine. They are a popular food source for hummingbirds, among other pollinators. Other colours of paintbrushes can be found across the mountains, but the red is the most common.

This photo was taken in Paddy’s Flat, Kananaskis, in late June.

Field chickweed, Cerastium arvense, is a small white flower found on dry stony ground and on thin grassy slopes of the mountains.

Field chickweed is native across Canada.

The flowers have five petals with a deep cleft in the middle of each. The plant grows in clusters along the ground, putting out flowers from early May until the end of July.

This photo was taken in early June in Elbow Valley, Kananaskis.

Canada Anemone, Anemone canadensis, is a white flower with 5 petal-like sepals found across Canada.

The Canada Anemone is native to all the provinces and the Northwest Territories.

The plant is known to be aggressive as it spreads quickly and easily through both rhizomes (roots) and seeds. It produces pollen, attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The plant grows one flower per stalk.

Canada Anemone flowers in late spring and the blooms stay through summer. This photo was taken in mid-June in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

Oval-leaf beardtongue, Penstemon ellipticus, is a beautiful flower found in the mountainous regions of Alberta and BC.

The flower is native to Alberta and BC. Its native range extends into the mountains of southern Idaho.

The flowers are typically shades of blue and purple, but can also be seen in pink or white. The flowers grow from a stalk lined with broad, oval shaped leaves. The stalks typically grow to 5-15 cm and can have numerous flowers and are a popular food source for bees, flies, wasps, hummingbirds, and Pika!