Shortly after the snow melts and the boggy grassy areas are still wet the Elephant Head Lousewort Flowers (Pedicularis Groenlandica) come into full bloom. Their blooms always seem short lived but this year we were lucky enough to stumble across fields full of them in their prime on a recent hike in the Colorado high country.
Elephants on Parade in the Mt Zirkel Wilderness, CO.
nature has no boss 
I see the elephants! 🙂
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Hi Mary, they do look like elephants indeed and so many. Hop your week is off to a great start.
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Enchanting photos. I’m going to have to say that those are now my favorite type of flowers.
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They are wonderful flowers and we were lucky to get two see them this year. Thanks again for the feedback and have a fine day.
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You’re welcome!
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Very nice – never knew that was their name 🙂
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Hi, we have always called them elephant heads just based upon their looks.
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They do look like elephant heads – what a delightful flower!
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They are really cool and we got lucky and timed it just right this year.
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The species name groenlandica sent me looking to see whether this plant is native in its American range. It seems to be. Too bad I didn’t encounter it in the Rocky Mountains when I was recently there. Perhaps early June was too soon.
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Hi Steve, early June this year might have been just ahead of schedule but it really all depends on how much snow there was and how fast it melts. We do sometimes see it early in the summer.
It is a curious name and I read somewhere there was debate regarding wether this plant existed in Greenland at all. It looks like it does but in a very limited area.
Thanks for the feedback as we appreciate it and have fine rest of your weekend.
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