A Student’s Guide to Colorado Flowers

Editor’s Note: This month, we expand our DPS voices column to include younger students. We hope you enjoy this piece from a 6th grade GALS student.

We are reaching the end of winter and the beginning of spring! Between this time the snow is melting and beautiful flowers are starting to bloom. Take a look at what Colorado flowers have to offer; it’s incredible! 

1. Pansy
    Don’t let these pansies fool you, they look weak and delicate on the outside, but pansies are very strong. They are labeled a flower for all seasons and can even stay alive in winter. If you are searching for some, I would recommend going to Colorado Springs. You may see pansies of some of the boldest colors, but in spring you may see more pinks, purples, and whites.  

2. Blue Bell
These Bluebells are exactly as the name implies. They are blue and shaped like bells. In my opinion, they are some of the nicest wildflowers in Colorado. They are also protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This means you can’t pick bluebells in the countryside and it also means landowners are prohibited from removing bluebells from their land to sell. There is no specific place you can find them, but they bloom a little later in spring. They are also known for blooming in mountain areas. So you may find them while you’re on a hike! 

3. Sand-Dune Wallflower 

Also known as “prairie rocket,” the sand-dune wallflower ranges in color from a light yellow to deep orange and prefers to grow in the dryer, hotter parts of the state. While it does grow in Colorado it is also an endangered flower in California. This flower blooms mostly in late spring and early summer but it still is a breathtaking beauty. Take a trip to the incredible Great Sand Dunes National Park to catch a glimpse of this splendor. 

4.  Daffodil

Normally in Denver, the daffodil isn’t too hard to find. It’s a beautiful flower though. A lot of the time daffodils are sunshine yellow and can grow in many different regions. The one thing about daffodils, though, is that they HAVE to be in a sunny spot, preferably one that gets 6 hours of sunlight a day but if planted in partial shade, the plants will still produce green leaves, but they won’t bloom.

“Hi I’m Olivia Fulle, I’m 12 years old and here are a few things about me. I dance in a company at Cherry Creek Dance and have classes there 3 days a week for 8 hours, I was born in Los Angeles, CA. My dad is from Chicago and my mom is from Milan, Italy. Which means I am bilingual (I speak Italian and English) I love to bake and make everything from Confetti Cupcakes to Vegan Lemon Bars. I am a huge book nerd and probably own over 100 books myself. I also love writing and I am writing my own book at the moment. I attend GALS middle school and have made many friends there.”