This is a hard-to-miss bright pink member of the pea family. Apart from its showy color, you can tell it by its distinctive pea flower shape (banner, wings and keel as seen here) and its leaf shape, which is pinnately compound (many leaflets situated on opposite sides of a central stalk).

The leaves really give this one away! If you didn’t know better, you might mistake it as a dandelion on steroids with extremely toothy leaves and its yellow aster-like flowers. But unlike dandelion, the leaves are grey-green and leathery and there are several flowers on each stalk.

It’s easy to mistake this flower for the spring-blooming foothills resident, arrowleaf balsamroot. They both have large yellow aster-like flowers and grow close to the ground (unlike the tall stalk of sunflower). Additionally, there is some overlap in flowering times. In order to tell them apart, look at the leaves. Mulesear will have dark green lance-shaped leaves, while balsamroot has heart-shaped leathery, grey-green leaves.

How could I not mention our iconic state flower? Don’t miss out on seeing this in person. Sego lily is unmistakable with its three large white petals that are yellow and hairy at the base.

In my opinion, Wasatch penstemon is one of the most iconic wildflowers of our area. It is tall with unearthly blue-violet flowers. The leaves are situated opposite of one another and have wide bases that appear to clasp the stem. Despite its name, this plant is found throughout the U.S. Rockies.