A "must do" when visting Lake Tahoe during the spring and summer seasons is to view the Lake Tahoe wildflowers.  You don't need to be a horticulturist or botanist to enjoy the natural beauty of these flowers.  Lake Tahoe is world-renown for so much including winter and summer sports and activities, the Tahoe Rim Trail, and of course, the magnificent blue water lake.  You can add to this list the Lake Tahoe wildflowers.  They are spectacular.  There are guided Lake Tahoe wildflower hikes you can take (visit www.wildflowerhikes.com) or you can simply get on a trail and view on your own.  Either way, don't miss out.   The list of Lake Tahoe wildflowers is plentiful and below is a sampling of what you'll see around the Lake Tahoe basin.

Buttercup
The Buttercup is the first plant to flower in wet mountain meadows. 
The waxxy, yellow blossoms consist of give petals and 1/2 inch across,
and grow in low mats.





Mountain Mule Ears and Arrow-Leaved Balsamroot
Both of these plants have yellow sunflower-like blossoms and are found growing on dry slopes
and hillsides.  The leaves of the mule ears look and feel like donkey ears with long, oblong,
velvet feeling leaves.  The leaves of the balsamroot are triangular or arrowhead shaped with
sparsley covered coarser hair.













Sulphur Flower
This member of the buckwheat family is commonly found in dry, rocky places.  As the name suggests, z
it is "sulphur" yellow in color.

Meadow Penstemon
This penstemon grows in moist or drying meadows.  Its deep purple flowers are arranged in whorls around
the upper portion of the stem.  There are many members of the penstemon family varying in color from
red, pink, white and blue.






Lupine
The numerous species of Lupine are difficult to tell apart, but the group itself is easily recognized by the
palmate leafe (leaflets originating from a common point).  The flowers are usually blue and ordinarily
grow in dry sandy areas although some species are found in wet meadows





Thistle
Often thought of as a weed, bees and hummingbirds favor thistle for their nectar.  The flowers can be red,
pink or purple and are found in meadow borders and open forests.






Columbine
The Columbine is a well known flower found growing in moist areas.  The colorful blossoms may be found from May to
August depending on elevation.






Indian Paintbrush
The showy parts of the Indian Paintbrush are not the flower petals, but ragged-edged bracts found
below each flower and floral sepals.  The wildflowers are found growing in moist areas.









Snow Plant
Although snow plants bloom early, they do not formally push their way through snowbanks.  Like the
pine drops, snow plants lack chlorophyll and derive their energy from dead plant material.













Shooting Star
The shooting star is an easily recognized pink/purplish flower found in
wet alpine meadows.
















California Corn Lily
The California Corn Lily is perhaps one of the most common plants found in moist areas.  It is
often called skunk cabbage because of its strong odor.















Cow Parsnip
Easily recognized by the umbrella shaped cluster of flowers and large palm shaped leaves, the
Cow Parsnip can be found in moist meadows.














Mariposa Lily
The Mariposa Lily is usually found growing in dry, bushy places.  This member of the lily family can
be distinguished by the three cream colored petals with resemble a poppy.





Ranger Buttons
Found along strams and other moist places, the Ranger Buttons is sometimes confused with cow parsnip.
The Ranger Button flowers are in fuzzy balls, not clustered in large flat-topped umbels as in the cow parsnip.








Common Yarrow
The Lake Tahoe wildflower flourishes in brushy areas, open woodlands, dry meadows and roadsides.  It
immediately invades places where the natural vegetation has been disturbed.