Skip to main content

U.S. Forest Service


Plant of the Week

Enjoy Your Wildflowers

Thousands of wildflowers grow on our national forests and grasslands, in many shapes, sizes, and colors. A field of wildflowers or colorful plants upon a lush forest floor is a beautiful sight, but so is a single flower or scattered plants growing upon what at first glance may appear to be a dry and desolate landscape.

Celebrating Wildflowers periodically features a different wildflower plant found on our national forests and grasslands.

The Plant of the Week descriptions are organized alphabetically by genus and species.

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  All

Gallery: P

Dwarf Ginseng, Panax trifolius. Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolius)

Pale Poppy Pale Poppy (Papaver alboroseum)

Northern Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia Palustris). Northern Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia Palustris)

Silverling (Paronychia argyrocoma). Silverling (Paronychia argyrocoma)

Mountain-lover (Paxistima myrsinites) Mountain-lover (Paxistima myrsinites)

Lemonscent Lemonscent (Pectis angustifolia)

Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis). Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis)

Leafy lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa) Leafy lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa)

Simpson's hedgehog cactus, Pediocactus simpsonii. Simpson's Hedgehog Cactus (Pediocactus simpsonii)

Large beardtongue. Large Beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus)

Leonard's Penstemon (Penstemon leonardii var. leonardii). Leonard's Penstemon (Penstemon leonardii var. leonardii).

Payette Beardtongue, Penstemon payettensis. Payette Beardtongue (Penstemon payettensis)

Bridges’ Penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus). Bridges’ Penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus)

Rydberg’s penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii) Rydberg’s penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii)

Littlecup Penstemon Littlecup Penstemon (Penstemon sepalulus)

Sweet coltsfoot (Petasites sagittatus). Sweet coltsfoot (Petasites sagittatus)

Rock Spiraea (Petrophytum caespitosum). Rock Spiraea (Petrophytum caespitosum)

Silky Phacelia (Phacelia sericea). Silky Phacelia (Phacelia sericea)

Quill Fameflower (Phemeranthus teretifolius). Quill Fameflower (Phemeranthus teretifolius)

Annual Phlox (Phlox drummondii) Annual Phlox (Phlox drummondii)

Opal phlox (Phlox opalensis). Opal phlox (Phlox opalensis)

American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Yellow Fringed Orchid, Platanthera ciliaris. Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata). White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata)

Yellow Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera integra) Yellow Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera integra)

White Fringeless Orchid, Platanthera integrilabia. White Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera integrilabia)

Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, Platanthera leucophaea. Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea)

Blunt-leaf Orchid (Platanthera obtusata). Blunt-leaf Orchid (Platanthera obtusata)

Platanthera orbiculata, stem and flowers. Round-leaved Rein Orchid (Platanthera orbiculata)

Lesser Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes). Lesser Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

James' galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii). James' galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii)

Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides). Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides)

Redwhisker clammyweed, Polanisia dodecandra Redwhisker clammyweed (Polanisia dodecandra)

Rocky Mountain Jacob's-ladder (Polemonium confertum). Rocky Mountain Jacob's-ladder (Polemonium confertum)

Western Polemonium (Polemonium occidentale). Western Polemonium (Polemonium occidentale)

Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans) Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

Appalachian Jacob's ladder. Appalachian Jacob's ladder (Polemonium vanbruntiae)

Sticky Polemonium, Polemonium viscosum. Sticky Polemonium (Polemonium viscosum)

Whiteflower Leafcup (Polymnia canadensis). Whiteflower Leafcup (Polymnia canadensis)

Fringed Polygala, Gaywings, or Flowering Wintergreen, Polygala paucifolia. Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia Willd.)

Seneca Snakeroot (Polygala senega) Seneca Snakeroot (Polygala senega)

Water Smartweed (Polygonum amphibium). Water Smartweed (Polygonum amphibium)

Pennsylvania Smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum). Pennsylvania Smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum)

Black Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa) Black Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa)

Alpine Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes boottii). Alpine Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes boottii)

Parry's Primrose (Primula parryi). Parry's Primrose (Primula parryi)

Islay, Prunus ilicifolia. Islay (Prunus ilicifolia)

Woodland Pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea. Woodland Pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea)

Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens var. multifida). Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens var. multifida)

Bitterbrush. Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/index.php?profiles=p