Memorial Bloomers

The Berry Prairie is alive with blooming plants.  They're a variety of colors too - purple, yellow, white, blue, red.  The red, white and blue ones I'm sure are feeling very patriotic - but the others are looking very stately as well.  Take a gander!

Red

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

This little gem was one of the first to bloom on the prairie, and is still going strong.  None of the flowers have turned to the wispy tentacles of the seed-head yet, but a few are getting close.

White

Hooker's Sandwort (Eremogone hookeri)

This plant is new to the blooming game, and isn't it great!  This plant sits about 2-3 inches tall and measures about 3 inches across, so it's a pretty understated and awesome.

Fleabane (Erigeron compositus)

This fleabane is one of four fleabanes on the green roof - another one, the desert yellow fleabane is also in bloom, and we'll feature that soon.  It has a Medusa-like flowering style, with flowerheads sticking up all over.  Dorothy wrote about this plant a few weeks back.

Dwarf Pussytoes (Antennaria parvifolia)

Who doesn't love these groundcovers?  The dwarf pussytoes flowers are shown below, in their nodding fashion.

Locoweed (Oxytropis nana)

The locoweed is a very common road-side plant around Laramie and can either be white or purple. 

Laramie Columbine (Aquilegia laramiensis)

Isn't this one a peach?  Dorothy featured this plant in a post a couple weeks ago - check it out!

Blue

Colorado Blue Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea)

The beautiful Colorado Blue Columbine is now blooming on the Berry Prairie, and its tall, striking flower stalks are hard to miss. 

Blue Flag (Iris missouriensis)

These iris are typically a water-loving species, but these plants seem to do ok on the relatively dry green roof!

Blue Flax (Linum lewisii)

Blue flax is blooming all over town and is beginning to do its thing on the green roof.

Blue Mist Penstemon (Penstemon virens)

The electrifying blue of these great forbs are outstanding, and quite common around campus.  Notice that you'll find most of the blooming specimens on campus nestled in a boulder, which speaks to its preference for ultra-dry environments.

There are more species blooming on the green roof!  Stop by to check them all out!

Written by Brenna Wanous, Berry Center