The semi-evergreen trident-shaped leaves are greyish-green-a lighter color that reflects lots of sunlight-and they curl up when there is little water. Because of its low water use, this plant has high drought tolerance and it does well in sandy soils. The antelope bitterbrush is a native plant species appearing throughout the western United States, including Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), at elevations between 4,000 ft and 8,500 ft. You may be more familiar with the human use of Kentucky bluegrass at picnic areas, baseball fields, orchards, campgrounds, lawns, and golf courses.Īntelope Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentate) When it does not get trimmed or grazed, small animals will use this grass as shelter. It is preferred grazing grass for many livestock animals like horses, cows, and sheep. Seeds are eaten by birds and rodents, and the shoots are eaten by rabbits, deer, elk, and other large mammals. The leaves grow up to a foot tall and are known for being soft and smooth. The grass is a cool-season perennial that begins growing in the spring, does not grow much in summer heat, and then continues growth into the fall. Like many grasses, Kentucky bluegrass provides some benefits to these ecosystems. As a result, Kentucky bluegrass has replaced sagebrush ecosystems in many areas throughout Jackson Hole and GTNP. The land that is now known as Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) has had its fair share of human disturbance, such as homesteading, large construction projects like dams, and farming, which changes the native ecosystem in those areas greatly. Beyond Spanish settlement, human disturbance, specifically related to land development, and this grass species share a rich history. This species-not the genre of music-is considered a somewhat native species to much of North America, but it was actually brought from Europe and Asia by the Spanish settlers. Kentucky bluegrass has a huge variety of uses for humans and animals in fact, we love this plant so much that we have changed entire ecosystems to have it. Since hummingbirds have the long, slim bill to reach the nectar, they are a perfect pollinator for these tubular-type flowers.Ĭlick here to learn about how the Indian Paintbrush got its name. Because of their interesting petal shape, ruby-throated hummingbirds are a great pollinator of the Indian Paintbrush in general, and other members of this genus. ![]() Like any other flowering plant, Indian Paintbrush rely on pollinators to help them reproduce year after year. Most of the time, they will parasitize the perennial grasses that accompany them (USFS), as well as sagebrush. When we think of plants, we know they photosynthesize and get their energy from the direct sunlight, but these plants are hemiparasites, meaning that they get some of their nutrients from other organisms as well. Coccinea refers to the red petals that resemble cup-like structures. Wyoming’s state flower is specifically Castilleja linariaefolia, but we will focus on the species coccinea. ![]() With over 200 species of Castilleja, this species of Indian Paintbrush is native to the United States.
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