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Plants of Great Sand Dunes National Park

The plants most often spotted in Great Sand Dunes, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

2,572
recent observations
50
species listed
50
plants

Naturalists have logged 2,572 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in Great Sand Dunes. The most frequently seen is the Rocky Mountain Beeplant, with 285 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed in Great Sand Dunes include Sugarbowls and Nylon Hedgehog Cactus - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

SugarbowlsNylon Hedgehog Cactus

Most-observed plants in Great Sand Dunes

Rocky Mountain Beeplant
Cleomella serrulata
285 observations · iNaturalist
Plains Pricklypear
Opuntia polyacantha
278 observations
Colorado Pinyon
Pinus edulis
142 observations
Scarlet Gilia
Ipomopsis aggregata
117 observations
Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus
Echinocereus coccineus
106 observations
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
98 observations · iNaturalist
Winterfat
Krascheninnikovia lanata
84 observations · iNaturalist
Small-flowered Sand-verbena
Tripterocalyx micranthus
81 observations · iNaturalist
Lance-leaved Scurf-pea
Ladeania lanceolata
77 observations · iNaturalist
Rocky Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
59 observations
Upright Blue Beardtongue
Penstemon virgatus
57 observations · iNaturalist
Quaking Aspen
Populus tremuloides
55 observations
Great Plains Yucca
Yucca glauca
50 observations
Trumpet Gooseberry
Ribes leptanthum
49 observations · iNaturalist
Broadbeard Beardtongue
Penstemon angustifolius
48 observations · iNaturalist
Alderleaf Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus
47 observations · iNaturalist
Wax Currant
Ribes cereum
46 observations · iNaturalist
Broom-like Ragwort
Senecio spartioides
42 observations · iNaturalist
James' Buckwheat
Eriogonum jamesii
41 observations · iNaturalist
Spineless Horsebrush
Tetradymia canescens
40 observations · iNaturalist
Blowout Grass
Muhlenbergia multiflora
39 observations · iNaturalist
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
33 observations
Mountain Ball Cactus
Pediocactus simpsonii
33 observations · iNaturalist
Beardlip Penstemon
Penstemon barbatus
33 observations
Sand Ricegrass
Eriocoma hymenoides
32 observations · iNaturalist
Flaxflowered Ipomopsis
Ipomopsis longiflora
31 observations · iNaturalist
Painted Milkvetch
Astragalus ceramicus
31 observations · iNaturalist
Bownut Cryptantha
Oreocarya suffruticosa
31 observations · iNaturalist
White Fir
Abies concolor
30 observations
Fringed Sagebrush
Artemisia frigida
28 observations · iNaturalist
Solomon's Plume
Maianthemum racemosum
27 observations
Common Cowparsnip
Heracleum maximum
27 observations
Star-flowered Lily-of-the-valley
Maianthemum stellatum
27 observations
Nodding Onion
Allium cernuum
27 observations
Prairie Sunflower
Helianthus petiolaris
26 observations
Tahoka Daisy
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
26 observations · iNaturalist
Scarlet Globemallow
Sphaeralcea coccinea
26 observations
White Point-vetch
Oxytropis sericea
25 observations · iNaturalist
Narrowleaf Cottonwood
Populus angustifolia
22 observations
Wyoming Paintbrush
Castilleja linariifolia
22 observations · iNaturalist
Showy Goldeneye
Heliomeris multiflora
22 observations · iNaturalist
Lanceleaf Stonecrop
Sedum lanceolatum
22 observations · iNaturalist
Hairy Clematis
Clematis hirsutissima
22 observations
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
19 observations · iNaturalist
Green-flower Hedgehog Cactus
Echinocereus viridiflorus
19 observations
Rocky Mountains Ponderosa Pine
Pinus scopulorum
19 observations · iNaturalist
Ocean Spray
Holodiscus discolor
18 observations
Rocky Mountain Maple
Acer glabrum
18 observations
Pale Evening Primrose
Oenothera pallida
18 observations
Prairie Thistle
Cirsium canescens
17 observations · iNaturalist

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

Plants in nearby places

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