In my humble opinion, June is the best month for wildflowers. There are so many new flowers coming to blossom, it is hard to keep up. Interesting seed heads to observe from earlier plants. The leaves of plants that are coming soon have emerged. It is also a beautiful month, unlike any other for startling prairie skies. Of course, the plants bloom long after my contrived two week time periods. And yet, keeping note of the plants as they bloom has me noticing more. The more I learn, the more I notice. The more I learn, the more questions I have. What a privilege it is to walk the same hills daily, to notice the ever changing plants and shrubs as well as the birds, animals and insects.
A beautiful year for wild roses
Gaillardia (or blanket flower)
Goatsbeard started to bloom at the beginning of June. the seedheads, like very large dandelion seed heads just came out at the end of June.
Ascending Purple Milk Vetch
Spreading Dogbane
Showy Locoweed. I have been admiring the furry leaves for many weeks. Finally, at the end of June, the first blossoms show up.
False Dandelion
Close up of Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly Pear Cactus catching the last sun of the day
Harebell (and a small bit of bedstraw)
Western Wallflower (a member of the mustard family)
Caraway
Smooth Fleabane
Low Milkweed
Hedysarum (began blooming in early June)
Yarrow
Prairie Lily
Buckbrush
the plums of ground plum or are they?
Alfalfa…this is in the meadow as I approach the hills. Many people haven’t seen it before and comment on her beauty- in all shades of purple and cream
Fritilitary enjoying alfalfa’s sweetness
Hawksbeard (not sure which one) with chamomile in background
White Water-Crowfoot
Nuttall’s Atriplex (Atriplex gardneri) Antelope, mule deer, rabbits, and mourning doves graze on it. Its leaves are an important food source during the winter because of their persistency. It is especially important for sheep because it contributes to the minimum nutritional requirement for maintenance of gestating female sheep
Just at the end of June, the first prairie coneflower blossoms
Low Goldenrod
Which vetch this is I am not sure
Sources: Saskatchewan Wildflowers Website by Glenn Lee and Facebook Page of Saskatchewan Native Plants- Saskatchewan Native Plant Society