Wild Flowers: Elephant Heads
Photo courtesy of Rob and Donna Mabry
Wild Flowers: Elephant Heads
During the summer of 2008, I had the opportunity to do high elevation trail maintenance in Colorado. I was enthralled by the wildflowers. I thought I would highlight some of my favorites, one at a time, so that you could learn a bit about each one. The information comes from both my experiences and the book “Guide to Colorado Wildflowers” by G.K. Guennel. I really found this book helpful in unmasking the identities of these beautiful flowers. I took the pictures; they don’t do the flowers justice. If you think my picture is good, go out and see them in person, it’s a hundred times better. Happy Trails!
Elephant Heads, also known as Little Red Elephant or Elephant Flower, is a member of the Figwort Family.
The Elephant Heads’ flowers are pink, reddish, or purplish, in dense, long spikes. Flowers are 2-lipped; the upper lip is long and curing (the “elephant trunk”), and the lower lip had 3 lobes.
When hiking in Colorado, look for Elephant Heads any where in the Montane to Alpine regions, from 8,000 feet to 14, 400 feet. Be sure to look in areas of shallow water, wet meadows, bogs, swamps and near streams, ponds and springs.
The best time to catch these flowers is between June and August. So check the weather, find a friend, plan a hike and get there and see this unique flower!
