The Colorado Front Range spans the transition zone between the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. This biologically rich area ranges 5,000' - 9,000' across wetlands, short and semi-arid grasslands, pinyon-ponderosa woodlands and montane forests. These diverse and overlapping ecosystems support a wide variety of flowering plants that emerge as early as the first snow melt and may remain through the first snowfalls of the season. Click to here to see hiking trails in the Colorado Front Range. Also see wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains, Utah Deserts, Mojave Desert and Olympic Peninsula.

White Prickly Poppy seeds have a high oil content that provides important nutrition for birds

Spiderwort flowers have a very short life, but each stem can produce many flowers

Geranium are sometimes referred to as 'Cranesbill', a derivative of its Greek- inspired Genus name

Penstemon is derived from the Greek word pente, or 'five', and stemon, a reference to stamen

Pasque flowers are among the very first to bloom in the Colorado Front Range; its name is related to the Easter-Passover period, which occurs in early spring

Blanket Flowers are native perennials that can grow in a variety of soil types, but require full sun to thrive

In the fall Wild Rose bushes produce red fruits called 'hips', a vital food source for bears as they stock calories for hibernation

Blue flax is known for its exceptional tolerance to drought and cold winters

The genus Yucca consists of 40-50 species of perennials, shrubs and trees in the Agave family

Golden Banner is a member of the pea family; its similar appearance to lupine is reflected in its Genus name (Thermopsis)

Paintbrush belongs to a genus of 200 species of partially or fully parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants

The Primrose genus name Oenothera means 'wine-scented', referring to the use of its roots in winemaking

Asters belong to one of the largest taxonomic groups of vascular plants with over 20,000 species

Sunflowers belong to the genus Helianthus, which comprises the Greek word 'Helios' (sun), and 'Anthos' (flower)

Thistle is a member of the Aster family

Larkspur belongs to the buttercup family; its stem and seeds contain alkaloids that can be toxic to horses and livestock

The flower name 'Salsify' is derived from a term meaning 'a plant that follows the sun'

Phlox is derived from the Greek word for 'flame'

Dalmatian toadflax is a member of the Figwort family, despite it's attractive bloom, it's an invasive species and noxious weed

Arnica is a natural remedy for swelling, pain and arthritis

Beehive cactus are distinguished by their pineapple-like shape and early spring blooms

Mariposa Lily's genus name 'Calochortus' is from the Greek word 'kalos', which means beautiful

Western Wallflowers are the most widespread of the dozen native North American wallflower species

Oregon Grape is a low-growing, evergreen shrub that produces yellow flowers in late spring and purple-ish, sour tasting berries in the fall

Tall grass prairies once stretched east from the Rockies to Indiana, north to Canada and south through Texas

Pinyon pine nuts are very high in nutrients and an important food source for many front range birds and mammals