23 Best Wildflowers In Flagstaff To Spot On Your Next Adventure

Flagstaff is a beautiful city situated in the most northern part of Arizona. The luscious landscape is surrounded by pine forests, deserts, and mountains.

23 Best Wildflowers In Flagstaff To Spot On Your Next Adventure

No matter what type of adventure you like to explore, Flagstaff has every terrain for you to enjoy.

The flowers listed are all native to the area, so enjoy the unique wildflowers in Flagstaff. You might never see them again!

1. Golden Sunflowers

Golden Sunflowers are the most notable wildflowers in Arizona. They don’t grow to large sizes like a classic sunflower, but they can reach 3 feet tall when the season has been dry.

The plant only displays its beautiful colors during the spring but experiences a rebloom when fall comes around.

2. Blackfoot Daisy

You can find Blackfoot daisies in the late spring and all through early fall. The rich nectar draws in butterflies and bees as well as birds and deer.

If you see a patch of Blackfoot daisies, stick around and wait for the wildlife to come calling.

3. Blanket Flower

The blanket flower bursts with color when sitting in their green beds. They bloom during summer through to fall, and you’ll find them more naturally near sandy or gravelly soils.

At their full height, these flowers only reach 8 inches tall – tiny when you compare them to the other natives in this land.

4. Blue Flax

Blue flowers are rare in the wild, as the pigmentation needed is almost impossible to create naturally. That’s what makes the blue flax so special.

And it’s not just us who like these unique petals. A large number of bees will be laying in their beauty, so try not to disturb their sugar-filled slumber.

5. Bridges Penstemon

From a beautiful blue to a daring red, the Bridges Penstemon is a dangerous plant that can grow in the most precarious of places.

They prefer dry rocks in the blistering sun and only need a drop of water to excel.

Where the other flowers in the area might die out in a drought, the Bridges Penstemon will thrive.

6. Cutleaf Coneflower

This drooping flower always looks so sad, but don’t worry it isn’t wilting.

The cutleaf coneflower can reach 7 feet tall and needs a moderate amount of water to survive, so you’ll see these beauties in mountain meadows and moist canyons.

If you can find a stream or shaded border, they might be nestled in there too.

7. Desert Columbine

The Desert Columbine or Solidago Velutina is the most common desert flower you’ll find in Flagstaff.

They are hardy plants that some people consider weeds, but we know them as beautiful pollinators.

Butterflies, bees, and dragonflies all surrounded these plants for food. They bloom their iconic yellow flower during the later summer and early fall.

8. Fendler’s Sundrops

Surprisingly, Fendler’s Sundrops are more commonly known by their scientific name Calylophus Hartwegii Fendleri.

They grow amazingly in hot and dry areas which is why their delicate petals look shriveled – they simply aren’t expecting a lot of water.

Many people plant these flowers in their gardens to cover a rocky aspect of their display.

9. Golden Columbine 

Continuing the yellow theme we have another columbine for you to look at. The Golden Columbine is more open, and more delicate but just as yellow as the desert version.

These flowers can be found in groves, moist lands, and canyons. 

Deer don’t like them, nor do rabbits, so they tend to survive natural grazing.

10. Littleleaf Pussytoes

Also known as Antennaria Parvifolia, these white flowers are a rare find. They are normally only found in mountain forests that are around 5,000 ft or higher in the air.

They last for a short amount of time, blooming between late spring and early summer before hiding their beautiful white petals once more.

11. Milkweed

Around the Flagstaff area, Milkweed can appear in one of 3 colors. Light pink, like this picture, purple or white.

The beautiful petals attract bees and butterflies who do an amazing job of creating natural fields around dry landscapes.

12. Mountain Beebalm

Mountain Beebalms come in different shades of purple. Some might say rose purple and lavender, but it changes due to the soil and nutrient density.

Like the Littleleaf Pussytoes, these flowers will only be found high up on rocky terrain. If you’re searching for them, make sure you’re around 6,000 ft in the air.

13. Mountain Meadow Rue

Also called Thalictrum Fendleri these delicate bundles only appear after a lot of water has drenched the land.

They come in purples, yellows, and greens, loving the shade and moist soil.

If you’re walking through the shaded woodlands of Flagstaff you’ll see plenty of Mountain Meadow Rue on your path. They are a common pine forest plant.

14. New Mexican Checker

The New Mexican Checker is a massive plant. At its full height, you can expect 36 inches of budding flowers.

To keep their strong stems high in the air they need a lot of water. That’s why they are normally found near streams or around moist meadows. 

Their iconic pink petals only come into bloom around April, May, and June. Otherwise, you’ll only notice their long green stems.

15. Owl’s Claw

The Owl’s Claw has many names, the most popular are Western Sneezeweed and Hymenoxys Hoopesii. As Sneezeweed suggests this wire-y plant isn’t loved by many.

It doesn’t need a lot of sunlight to grow, and when it does grow it can reach 40 inches in height. This would be great if the petals weren’t as thin and crooked as an owl’s claw.

16. Palmer’s Penstemon

These flowers keep getting taller as the Palmer’s Penstemon can reach an amazing 40 inches when fully grown.

These delicate beauties are found in desert landscapes and are normally pale of pigment or bright pink.

They need a low-water environment and don’t do well during the rainy season. If the sun is hot and the season has been dry, these plants will be in full bloom.

17. Pineleaf Penstemon

Our next gorgeous Penstemon drops down in height to a more respectable 1.5 feet tall.

They come in any color on the red-to-orange spectrum and become perfect feeding grounds for hummingbirds.

Their thin-tubed petals allow dainty creatures to feed and flourish. 

18. Purple Aster

We are reaching back into the sky for this plant. The Purple Aster can reach 4 feet tall if under the right conditions.

They need a lot of water and live in high elevations or at the bottom of deep valleys – these areas often have the most waterfalls, which they need to reach those impressive heights. 

19. Purple Geranium 

Purple Geraniums are normally purple as their name suggests, but sometimes you’ll see white petals among the lilacs.

You’ll never see a completely white bush though, and if you spot one make sure to share your find with the flower spotting community! 

You can find these beauties in meadows, forests, and nestled among rocks.

20. Rocky Mountain Columbine

These flowers are so pretty that they don’t seem real. White petals with purple bases nestled around a purple star.

The Columbine get their name from the Rocky Mountains they are found in. 

You can expect long-tongued nectar feeders guzzling on these plants, but rabbits and deer rarely touch them.

21. Beardtongue 

These plants, like so many others, have multiple names – beardtongue, Rocky Mountain penstemon, and Penstemon Strictus are just a few.

They bloom in late summer and throughout fall, becoming an important autumnal plant for most butterflies and insects as the seasons change.

They often become a strong food source for elk, deer, and rabbits too, while smaller animals use them as shelter.

22. Rubber Rabbitbrush

The Rubber Rabbitbrush is a commonly found plant in the Flagstaff area. They don’t need a lot of water to survive and enjoy the long beating sun.

They can be spotted all over the grasslands and scrublands of Arizona, and as the name suggests rabbits often use these 5 feet tall brushes as shelter.

23. Sacred Datura

The Sacred Datura gets its name from the early Sanskrit dustura meaning inebriation or intoxication.

It used to be used by the natives of the land to induce hallucinations due to its poisonous characteristics. 

They bloom between May and November. Although they used to live in high-elevation areas, they have recently come to thrive in disturbed locations such as roadsides and ditches.

Final Thoughts

The flowers in this area are vast and diverse. All the colors of the rainbow can be found in Flagstaff’s wilderness as long as you know where to go.

Head high into the mountains, along the water creaks, and into the shaded forests. Explore what Flagstaff’s wildflowers have to offer and enjoy the natural beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Yellow Flowers Near Flagstaff AZ?

The rocky desert nearing Flagstaff is home to the Brittlebush Encelia Farinosa flowers. They are more often known as Brittlebush and are a common desert shrub across the US.

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Diane Peirce
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