Wildflowers of Zion National Park

I purchased a small book in the Zion National Park store called Wildflowers of Zion National Park, by Dr. Stanley L. Welsh (published by the Zion National History Association in 1990). This slim volume fit easily in my day pack, and became my go-to guide for identifying trees and plants in the Park.

The short introduction provides a summary of the Zion National Park setting, geology, climate, plant communities, and pollination. Most of the book is dedicated to descriptions and photos of wildflowers in the park, organized by color (white, yellow, pink, red, and so forth). The green section includes vines, trees, and grasses. A final reference section indicates flowers that bloom in spring (the bulk of them), and in summer and fall. According to the introduction, there are about 900 different kinds of plants in the park, but Dr. Welsh included 120 of the most common.

Since we were travelling in Zion National Park in the fall, we did not see many wildflowers. But I was able to identify a few blooms from the book, including Rubber Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Utah Daisy (Mirabilis multiflora), Globemallow (Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia), and Palmer Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri).