page_title: Flora of the Sierra Nevada alpine zone
section_title: Perennials
hierarchical_section_title: Flora of the Sierra Nevada alpine zone / Diversity and taxa / Perennials
caption_attribution_description: Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum English: Rough Wallflower, Prairie Rocket
context_page_description: The flora of the U.S. Sierra Nevada alpine zone is characterized by small, low growing, cushion and mat forming plants that can survive the harsh conditions in the high-altitude alpine zone above the timber line. These flora often occur in alpine fell-fields. The Sierra Nevada alpine zone lacks a dominant plant species that characterizes it, so may or may not be called a vegetation type. But it is found above the subalpine forest, which is the highest in a succession of recognized vegetation types at increasing elevations.
  Botanists have ranked the Sierra Nevada alpine zone floral bloom as one of California's foremost wildflower displays, with flowers of fantastic color and abundance. Many of the alpine species are notable for large and showy flowers, which must compete for the pollinators during brief growing seasons. Botanist Philip A. Munz wrote, "These natural rock gardens are spectacular sights when in full flower." Botanist Laird R. Blackwell wrote, "Up here... the flowers seem to glow... perhaps only the flowers of the harsh desert can rival the alpine flowers for intensity."
  Over 90% of California's alpine flora are perennial herbs. Annuals are not common.
context_section_description: Characteristic perennials are low growing, small, and may be erect or form mats or cushions.  Broad-leaved, erect perennials constitute 50% of the diversity of Sierra Nevada alpine species, with mats and cushions 11%.
  Swamp onion (Allium validum) is a perennial bulb in the onion family (Alliaceae) found in alpine wetlands to 11,200 feet (3,400 m). The low-growing head of flowers of red sierra onion (Allium obtusum) appears to sit on the ground.
  In the carrot family (Apiaceae), Clemen's mountain parsley (Oreonana clementis) forms a dense mat of tiny plants with tiny leave that might cover several square yards the area like a blanket. Sierra podistera (Podistera nevadensis) is compact, stemless, and found only above the timberline to 13,000 feet (4,000 m).
  Sunflower family (Asteraceae) perennials include western snakeroot (Ageratina occidentalis), an erect perennial to subshrub in the sunflower family that is found up to 12,100 feet (3,700 m). Flat-topped pussytoes (Antennaria corymbosa) is a small (to 16 inches (0.41 m)), mat-forming perennial herb, spreading via a tangled network of stolons. In the same genus are rosy pussytoes (A. rosea) and the mat forming Alpine Everlasting (A. media). Alpine aster (Aster alpigenus) stems may be laying on the ground (decumbent) or erect, and can be found up to 12,000 feet (3,700 m) elevations. Dusty maidens (Chaenactis douglasii var. alpina), also called pincushion plant, is a sunflower family plant with cobwebby stems, and leaves and stems like a miniaturized version of its cousin, dusty maidens (var. douglasii). Yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) grows on dry, open slopes to 13,000 feet (4,000 m), and Parry's rabbitbrush (C. parryi) on mountainsides and flats to 12,000 feet (3,700 m).
   
  Alpine fleabanes, or daisies, are sunflower family members. They include dwarf mountain fleabane, or cut-leaf daisy (Erigeron compositus), typifies the dwarfed growth pattern of the alpine zone, with disproportionately large flower heads compared to body size (1/4 to 1/2 the height of the flower stem). It grows as a mat or cushion on rocky slopes, talus, and rock ledges, to 14,000 feet (4,300 m) elevation. Also growing to 14,000 feet (4,300 m) elevation is the shorter rambling fleabane (E. vagus), which grows in talus and only gets 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall. dwarf daisy, (E. pygmaeus), grows from a woody taproot as a compact, cushion forming plant that can be found on rocky slopes and flats from 9,500 to 13,500 feet (2,900 to 4,100 m). It provides some of the most vivid color in the alpine zone, with flowers sometimes blooming in such profusion that they cover the leaves and rocky sloes and flats below. Glacial daisy (E. glacialis) grows to 11,200 feet (3,400 m), often in large colonies. Alpine daisy, or loose daisy (E. vagus) grows in rocky scree and in rock crevices, from 11,000 feet (3,400 m) to as high as 14,100 feet (4,300 m).
  Golden yarrow, or wooly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum), found to 13,000 feet (4,000 m), is not a true yarrow, but another member of the sunflower family, and is sometimes an annual. Prickly hawkweed (Hieracium horridum) is hairy and grows in rocky places and crevices. Foul smelling alpine gold (Hulsea algida) occurs only on talus (the pile of rocks at the bottom of cliffs), and rocky peaks as high as 13,000 feet (4,000 m). It is unusually "tall" for an alpine zone plant, with stems reaching 1 ¹⁄₂ feet (0.46 m). At higher eleveations above the timber line, is a dwarf variety of pumice hulsea (H. vestita subsp. pygmaea) growing to 13,000 feet (4,000 m).
  Anderson's mountain crown (Oreostemma alpigenum) is another sunflower family erect perennial, found below 11,500 feet (3,500 m). Alpine rock butterweed (Packera werneriifolia) is found on dry rocky slopes to 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Alpine flames, or alpine golden-star (Pyrrocoma apargioides), is closely related to whitestem goldenbush (Ericameria discoidea), and grows from a basal rosette to 12,000 feet (3,700 m). It is less well adapted to harsh alpine conditions than some other alpine zone plants, having relative
caption: Western wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)
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