El Paso County Wildflower Project

09/07/2026

Wildflowers are still blooming! Paid these guys a visit this morning!

08/08/2026

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲

Today's new addition to the 𝗘𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 is the 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲.

At first glance, it's easy to see why people stop to admire it. The vibrant purple blooms are striking, and if you spend a few moments watching, you'll likely notice bees and other pollinators visiting flower after flower.

But there's another side to the story.

Creeping Thistle is 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 to Colorado and is listed as a 𝗻𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗱. It spreads aggressively, often crowding out native vegetation and changing the character of the habitats where it becomes established.

That's one of the reasons I enjoy this project. It's not just about celebrating wildflowers. It's about learning the stories behind them. Some are native treasures. Others are beautiful visitors that have overstayed their welcome.

I'll add a link to the full species page in the comments.

Have you ever noticed how busy the bees are around Creeping Thistle?

08/05/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱: 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗼 🌼

One of the things I enjoy most about this project is discovering flowers I hadn't taken the time to notice before.

Today's addition is the 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗼, a bright yellow wildflower that quietly adds color to our mountain landscapes during the summer months. Like many wildflowers, it's easy to overlook until you slow down and spend a little time looking.

Every new species added to the project helps build a more complete picture of the wildflowers growing right here in El Paso County.

I'll add a link to the full page in the comments if you'd like to learn more and see additional photos.

Have you spotted Arrowleaf Senecio this season?

07/22/2026

After what feels like a run of purple wildflowers, I thought today could use a little sunshine.

So here's a collection of some of Colorado's yellow blooms.

🌼 Balkan Toadflax
🌼 Meadow Buttercup
🌼 Golden Columbine
🌼 Yellow Lady's Slipper Orchid
🌼 Western Wallflower

It's easy to think of "yellow" as just... yellow. But spend a little time looking, and you'll find buttery yellows, brilliant golds, soft lemon tones, and everything in between. Each flower has its own "personality," even when they share the same color palette.

Which one is your favorite?

07/21/2026

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁.

Over the course of two mornings and about six hours on the trail, I found exactly one Felwort.

It wasn't standing proudly above the surrounding vegetation. Instead, it was quietly tucked beneath taller plants, growing in the shade where it would have been incredibly easy to miss.

Maybe I was there early in its blooming season.

Maybe there just weren't many around.

I don't know.

What I do know is that if I had been hiking with my usual "get to the next spot" mindset, I almost certainly would have walked right past it.

Instead, I slowed down.

I stopped.

I looked.

And there it was.

Moments like this are one of the reasons I started the El Paso County Wildflower Project. It's not just about identifying wildflowers. It's about learning to notice the incredible things that are already around us, quietly waiting to be discovered.

How many beautiful things do we miss simply because we're moving too fast?

Have you ever found something unexpected because you took the time to slow down? I'd love to hear your story.

07/18/2026

For your bloomscrolling pleasure...

via Jason Fazio Photography

07/17/2026

Beautiful. Unusual. Best Appreciated from a Distance.

This flower is part of the El Paso County Wildflower Project. www.JasonFazioPhotography.com/wildflowers/columbian-monkshood

At first glance, Columbian Monkshood almost looks like it belongs underwater rather than on a mountainside. Those folded, hood-like petals give it one of the most unusual flowers you'll find in Colorado.

It's also one of our most toxic native wildflowers. Every part of the plant contains potent toxins, making it a flower to admire, not touch.

These three photos feature the same pair of blossoms. Rather than trying to keep both flowers sharp, I focused on one at a time. It's a simple reminder that changing your point of focus can completely change the feel of an image, even when the composition barely changes.

Which image is your favorite: 1, 2, or 3?

As always, no picking required. Just a little curiosity and appreciation for one of Colorado's most fascinating wildflowers.

07/17/2026

In The News

Bradley Davis KRDO of KRDO13 met me behind Mt Herman for some morning wildflower and wildlife. It turned out to be a great morning!

Local photographer creates 'wildflower project' to help people explore Colorado's native flowers | KRDO

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - A local photographer has created a new portfolio, but it's less about his camera and more about identifying the images

07/16/2026

Queen's Crown, Orange Agoseris, Columbian Monkshood, Rhexia-leafed Paintbrush, and the Western Roseroot.

07/15/2026

Some flowers save their best display for after dark.

While many wildflowers open their blossoms during the day to attract bees and butterflies, the Bractless Blazing Star has a different strategy. Its flowers often remain closed through much of the day before opening in the evening, attracting moths and other nocturnal pollinators that take over the night shift.

It's a fascinating reminder that wildflower viewing doesn't always end at sunset.

Today's featured photograph was generously submitted by David Bowers, a fellow El Paso County resident. Thank you, David, for contributing to the El Paso County Wildflower Project and helping us build a community-powered wildflower index.

The goal of this project is simple: document and celebrate the incredible diversity of wildflowers growing throughout El Paso County while creating a resource anyone can explore and learn from.
Have you ever noticed flowers changing throughout the day? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments.

If you'd like to contribute your own El Paso County wildflower photos, you can learn more and submit them through the project website. (Link in comments 👇)

📷 Photo courtesy of David Bowers
(Facebook: Red.Cliff.35)