Sunshine Meadows - Summer Wildflowers

With more than 50 species of wildflowers blooming across Sunshine Meadows throughout the summer, there’s no shortage of beauty to discover. While their vibrant colours may be what first catch your eye, there’s much more to our alpine flora than meets the eye.

From folklore and ancient languages to unusual adaptations, many of our wildflowers have fascinating stories behind their names. Here are seven species you may find along our trails and the stories behind what we call them.

1. Forget Me Not

These striking indigo blue flowers have long been associated with love and remembrance. According to a medieval European legend, a knight fell into a river while trying to retrieve the flowers for his love. As he was swept away, he tossed them to her and called out, “Forget me not!” While the story is folklore, the flower has remained a symbol of remembrance and enduring love for centuries.

2. Spotted Saxifrage

Recognizable by the red, orange, and yellow spots decorating its white petals, Spotted Saxifrage thrives in rocky alpine environments, including cracks and crevices where few other plants can grow. The name “saxifrage” comes from the Latin saxum, meaning “rock,” and frangere, meaning “to break,” giving it the fitting association of a “rock breaker.”

3. Golden Fleabane

Golden Fleabane takes part of its name from its brilliant yellow flowers. “Fleabane,” meanwhile, comes from an old but mistaken belief that plants in this group could repel or kill fleas and other pests. The belief may have disappeared, but the memorable name stuck.

4. Mountain Death Camas

The name of this beautiful alpine plant comes with an important warning. Mountain Death Camas contains powerful toxins throughout the plant and can be dangerous if eaten. Its underground bulb can resemble edible camas and other edible bulbs, making proper identification especially important. Edible camas has been an important traditional food for Indigenous peoples in parts of western North America, while Death Camas must never be consumed.

5. Fireweed

Fireweed gets its name from its remarkable ability to quickly colonize areas disturbed by wildfire. Its pinkish purple flowers can be among the first splashes of colour to return to a burned landscape.

During the Second World War, the plant became known as “Bombweed” in parts of Britain after flourishing on bomb damaged sites, including throughout London. Fireweed is also an impressive seed producer, with a single plant capable of producing tens of thousands of seeds in a year.

6. Bracted Lousewort

The unusual name “lousewort” comes from an old belief that livestock grazing among these plants would become infested with lice. The belief was mistaken, but the name survived.

Even its scientific genus, Pedicularis, comes from the Latin word pediculus, meaning “louse,” preserving a little piece of centuries old plant folklore.

7. Western Anemone

Western Anemone is one of the early wildflowers of the alpine season, often appearing as the snow retreats. Its delicate white flowers are followed by distinctive fluffy seed heads, giving the plant an entirely different appearance later in the summer.

The name “anemone” comes from the Greek anemos, meaning “wind,” and has traditionally been interpreted as “daughter of the wind.” It’s a fitting name for a flower whose feathery seeds are eventually carried away on the mountain breeze.

From the history behind their names to their fascinating alpine adaptations, we hope you discovered something new about the wildflowers of Sunshine Meadows. Now, come experience them for yourself.

Sunshine Meadows is open until September 20, so there’s still time to explore the trails and experience the changing colours of the alpine. To learn even more about the landscape, book a hosted trail walk with one of our expert guides.