5 Kinds of PINK Wildflowers in Alaska (w/Pics)
Did you find a PINK wildflower in Alaska?
If so, I’m sure you’re wondering what type of wildflower you found! Luckily, you can use this guide to help you identify it. 🙂
Please be aware that today I’m ONLY listing and focusing on the most COMMON pink wildflowers. There are so many species, varieties, and subspecies that it would be impossible to name them all. But if you want to dive deeper into all the pink wildflowers in Alaska, check out this field guide!
Today, we will look at 5 different PINK wildflowers found in Alaska.
#1. Spreading Dogbane
- Apocynum androsaemifolium
Also known as: Fly-trap Dogbane, Bitterroot
Growing Information:
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-9
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 24-60 in (61-152 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Full Shade
As you might have guessed from its name, Spreading Dogbane is a prolific grower, which is why you’ll find it widespread across both North America and Europe. It’s called “dogbane” because it is highly poisonous to dogs (and humans too).
Spreading Dogbane has small, pink bell-shaped flowers and a scent similar to lilac. Look for this pink wildflower in Alaska in the sandy soil of streambanks.
#2. Crown Vetch
- Securigera varia
Also known as: Purple Crownvetch, Crownvetch
Growing Information:
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 12-72 in (30-183 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Even though the large, pink clover-like blooms of Crown Vetch are beautiful, this plant is invasive in North America. Native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, Crown Vetch was introduced locally to be used as a groundcover in controlling soil erosion.
This pink wildflower grows in Alaska on sunny, sandy banks where it can push out less hardy plants.
If you plant Crown Vetch on your property, choose an isolated location far away from flower gardens. Don’t forget to control its growth so it doesn’t spread to other areas and invade native species and ecosystems.
#3. Wild Mint
- Mentha arvensis
Growing Information:
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 3.9-39 in (10-99 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Summer
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Light Shade
Wild Mint is a native wildflower with dense clusters of lavender, pink, or white bell-shaped flowers. Like other species of mint, the fragrance is most potent when the leaves are damaged.
Look for this pink wildflower in Alaska in wetlands with partial sunlight. It grows best on stream and river banks.
#4. Marsh Hedgenettle
- Stachys palustris
Growing Information:
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 8-39 in (20-99 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Summer to Fall
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Native to Europe and Asia, the Marsh Hedgenettle is an invasive pink wildflower in Alaska. The fast-growing root system can overwhelm other plants quickly, so it’s best to limit its growth or plant it in an isolated area.
Look for Marsh Hedgenettle in ponds, bogs, and swamps in the wild. The pointed flowers grow on single stems and look like bristles on a brush.
#5. Fireweed
- Chamerion angustifolium
Also known as: Willow Herb
Growing Information:
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-8
- Life Cycle: Annual or Perennial
- Approximate Mature Size: 18-120 in (46-305 cm) tall
- Bloom Time: Late Spring and Summer
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
True to its name, Fireweed is a resilient plant that will be the first to grow in clearings recently devastated by forest fires. In fact, Fireweed was seen growing throughout Washington State one year after Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.
To find Fireweed, look for striking spikes of purplish-pink flowers covering a landscape. Hummingbirds, moths, and butterflies like to feed on this pink wildflower in Alaska.
Which of these pink wildflowers have you seen before in Alaska?
Leave a comment below!
