Revelstoke's Wildflower Guide

Paintbrushes are one of the most recognisable flowers you can find in a subalpine meadow. Hummingbirds rely on this plant for food and are attracted to the red flowers. Although this plant gets energy from photosynthesis, it also steals energy from other plants by attaching to their roots.

Arctic lupine carpets Mount Revelstoke’s alpine meadows with purple. Once the flowers are pollinated, the seeds develop into pods. When dry, the pods burst open and spread their seeds outward. No wonder lupines are so bountiful!

Another subalpine species, this star-shaped flower is often mixed with lupines, paintbrushes, and arnica. This plant decreases in size as you get to higher elevations. People commonly mix up this plant and the invasive oxeye daisy so look for the purple petals.

This shapeshifting plant starts with red shoots and pink flowers. This helps protect it from the sun. As the plant gets older, it begins to turn white and after the first frost in the fall, it gives off a sour, skunk-like odor!

These are some of the first flowers you will see in the subalpine during snowmelt . They are a common snack for Grizzly bears who enjoy their bulbous roots. Glacier lily bulbs were also traditionally an important source of carbohydrates for Indigenous peoples.

Once these flowers go to seed, they become an iconic part of the alpine wildflower display. Their interesting appearance has earned them many funny names including "mop-tops," "hippy heads", and some think they were the inspiration for Dr Seuss’ “truffula trees”.

One of the cutest flowers you can find! This plant has done an excellent job of creating the perfect fruit bearing environment. The bell-shaped flowers allow light in, trap heat, and offer protection from wind. This creates the extra energy the plant needs to produce fruit.

A low, ground-hugging plant with delicate flowers best appreciated up close. Moss champion is very slow-growing in the alpine, due to the challenging environment. By 25 years old, it is only about 8" wide. Be careful where you step!

Fireweed is often found in cool, mountainous terrain, and despite its name, is a native wildflower in Canada. It thrives in open forests, burned sites, and along riverbanks. It is a key species in forest regeneration. Indigenous peoples utilized fireweed for food, weaving, plant medicines, and more.

Willowherb is closely related to fireweed and is sometimes called river-beauty, as it can often be found growing in the sand or gravel along rivers. This flower is well adapted to living in cold alpine and arctic environments. It is also the national flower of Greenland!