Wildflowers of Alaska: Lupine, Iris, & Sitka Rose
Summer is at its peak in Alaska right now. We currently have about 18 hours of daylight here in Southeast Alaska (check out this time lapse from the summer solstice). The salmon are running and the wildflowers are blooming, filling the beaches and mountainsides with vibrant colors, wonderful scents, and lots of busy wildlife. Here’s a brief highlight of the most common wildflowers in our area:
Iris
Iris have leaves that are long and narrow with a clasping stem. Their flowers are about 4" across, and are a mix of deep blue and purple. They are easy to spot on beach meadows or wetland areas of Southeast Alaska in the summertime.
This photo was taken at the Valley of the Eagles golf course in Haines, Alaska, where wildflowers like iris, lupine, and shooting stars fill the brushy areas surrounding the course.
Sitka Rose
The Sitka Rose was introduced to Southeast Alaska in the early 20th century, according to Edible Alaska. These roses grow (seemingly) everywhere— roadsides, along the beaches, and even on our favorite trails. While they are only in bloom for a couple of weeks, the scent is heavenly.
A lot of Alaskans forage for rose petals for making infusions, like rose honey, rose sugar, or rose infused syrups & cocktails (like this cocktail called the Rose Bud from our local distillery)!
Lupine
According to Alaska.org, “Nootka Lupine grows in meadows, along roadsides, mountain slopes and gravel bars. It grows 1-3' tall and has stout, hairy stems. The leaves are palmately compound and have 5-9 leaflets radiating from a common center and are dissimilar in size. The flowers are pea-like, blue to violet in color and grow in dense clusters at the top of the stem with younger flowers above, older below.”
Lupine appear like waves of purple along the highway, mountainsides, and beach here in Southeast Alaska. This photo was taken along the beach of the Chilkat River in Haines, Alaska.