2 Credits This guide was developed primarily by volunteers and staff of Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. Thanks also to reviewers and support from the Friends of Larimer County Parks and Open Lands, Colorado Native Plant Society and City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department. Project Manager: Heather Young Writers: Paul Alaback, Jenna McAleer, Lisa Matthews, Linda Bilsing Editor: Linda Bilsing Photo Editor: Janet Sitas Illustrations: Lisa Matthews Design and Layout: Jane Thomson Copyright © 2014 Larimer County Department of Natural Resources 3 4 About This Guide Larimer County Parks and Open Space areas are lands protected for recreation This guide focuses on the most and conservation by the citizens of common, showy, native plants growing Larimer County, through the ¼-cent, in parks and open spaces in Larimer citizen-initiated “Help Preserve Open County, Colorado, between 5,000 - Space” sales taxes started in 1996. 8,000 feet in elevation. Key traits for identification, comparisons between Most areas were originally ranches or similar species, and fun facts help you homesteads that landowners wished to identify and learn about these interesting preserve in perpetuity as public lands. plants. Some of these areas have been restored as wild examples of grasslands, riparian In addition, notes on ecology, habitat, areas or forests that once dominated the bloom time, and references to specific landscape in Larimer County. Larimer County Parks and Open Space areas will help you discover when and where to look for individual species. 5 6 Ecology of the Larimer plant species grow on these slopes, as County Foothills Region well as the largest trees and densest thickets of vegetation. Differences in Climate: In Larimer County, moisture climate also explain differences between is the most important factor in ecological zones and habitats (Fig. 1). determining where plants grow. West- to south-facing slopes are exposed to the hot Geology: Riparian areas (streamsides) afternoon sun; these are the driest and have some of the greatest diversity of most extreme sites for plant growth. wildflowers and shrubs due to complex Plants adapted to drought and sun stress and rich soils, especially when the soils (e.g., plains prickly pear cactus) and are formed from floodwater sediment. thick-leaved woody shrubs (e.g., Shale or mudstones also develop deep, mountain mahogany) commonly grow nutrient-rich soils for a wide diversity of here. North- to east-facing slopes, by plants. Fewer plant species grow in acid contrast, are shaded during the hot rocks (e.g., granite), which form thin, afternoon, so plants have more access to poorly developed soils that retain little moisture. As a result, a larger number of water and have few nutrients. Limestone also has low water-holding capacity, but than any other habitat in the Rockies. can support unique species adapted to Flooding is essential to establish salts (alkalinity) and drought. cottonwood and willow seedlings. Human and Natural Disturbance: Grazing by deer and elk, and Disturbances recycle and release burrowing by wildlife such as prairie nutrients for plant growth, so are dogs, are essential to maintaining the essential to the long-term health of long-term health and diversity of native ecosystems. grasslands. Fire stimulates seeds to germinate and Livestock grazing can imitate natural plants to re-sprout and send up new patterns and promote native shoots. Lodgepole pine, ponderosa wildflowers. pine, grasses, and many wildflowers Plowing, by contrast, diminishes the depend on fire for reproduction. availability of nutrients in grasslands, Flooding creates a variety of habitats changing the dominant plant species and delivers nutrients to riparian for 50 years or more. Smooth brome areas, supporting more plant species and other non-native grasses generally dominate after plowing. 7 8 Ecological Zones three-leaf sumac), open rocky areas, and ponderosa pine woodlands. This guide focuses on the foothills ecological zone in Larimer County, with Montane: At the highest elevations some overlap with the plains and covered by this guide, this zone occurs montane zones, from 5,000 - 8,000 feet especially on cool east- or north-facing (Fig. 1). slopes. Shady montane forests predominate, including mixtures of Plains: This zone occurs at the lowest ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and juniper. elevations and includes grasslands, cottonwood forests along streams, disturbed areas, and old agricultural fields. Foothills: This zone occurs on small hills or the lower portions of mountains, usually with a mixture of grasslands, shrublands (mountain mahogany and Fig. 1: Ecological zones and habitats in Larimer County 9 10 Habitats blanketflower and scarlet gaura). Look for native grasslands at the Cathy This guide organizes plants into 8 Fromme Prairie Natural Area, Eagle’s habitats from 5,000 - 8,000 feet in Nest Open Space and Soapstone Prairie Larimer County: grasslands, disturbed Natural Area. Smaller patches of areas, riparian areas, shrublands, open grasslands grow at Horsetooth rocky areas, woodlands, forests, and wet Mountain Open Space and Devil’s meadows (Fig. 1). Backbone Open Space. Grasslands: This habitat dominates Disturbed grasslands are also common the plains and occurs in smaller patches in our area, reflecting a long history of in the foothills and montane zones. agriculture and human use. Non-native Grasslands grow on fine-textured soils grasses from Central Asia and northern such as clay or silt. This habitat generally Europe (e.g., crested wheatgrass, has grasses in distinct bunches or smooth brome and tall wheatgrass) patches (e.g., blue grama, needlegrass usually dominate disturbed grasslands. and fescue) and wildflowers (e.g., Disturbed Areas: This habitat is streams and river floodplains, and in most common in the plains, but can moist spots along seasonal creeks, occur locally in other zones as well. wetlands or seepages. Willows, Disturbed areas occur along major trails cottonwoods and a wide variety of or following construction activity, and shrubs occur in riparian areas, along also reflect historical disturbances such with buttercups, asters, and arnicas. as logging, fire, grazing, old homesteads, Look for unusual species next to fallen or mining. Human disturbance generally trees, in moist pockets and in overflow favors non-native species such as areas. The Big Thompson and Cache la smooth brome, dandelion, Kentucky Poudre Rivers have excellent examples bluegrass, storksbill, and many mustard of riparian areas. species. Shrublands: This habitat is most Riparian Areas: This habitat can common in the foothills zone, but can occur at all elevations, but is most occur also on dry south- or west-facing common in the plains and foothills slopes in the montane zone. Shrubs zones. Riparian areas occur along dominate here due to the coarse nature 11 12 of soils as contrasted with the silty or Devil’s Backbone Open Space. Rocks clay dominated soils of the grasslands. can also dominate narrow gullies and Shrublands in places such as Devil’s canyons, where they act like mulch, Backbone Open Space and Horsetooth providing habitat for moisture-loving Mountain Open Space support three- plants. Many shrubs (e.g., American leaf sumac, mountain mahogany, pea plum, chokecherry and hawthorn) occur family wildflowers, and many members in these areas. of the mustard family. Woodlands: This habitat is Open Rocky Areas: This habitat is transitional between grasslands and common in both foothills and montane forests in the foothills and montane zones. Loose rocks or rock outcrops zones. These open forests have widely create a complex and diverse habitat for spaced ponderosa pines and junipers plants. Drought tolerant plants (e.g., with grasses and showy wildflowers many members of the pea and mustard (e.g., pasqueflowers and sunflowers) families) grow on ridgetops along growing below. Forests, by contrast, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space and provide heavy shade and generally have understory with a greater abundance of in higher elevations, where more herbs and shrubs. Look for woodlands moisture is available. Hermit Park Open at lower to middle elevations in Hermit Space and Horsetooth Mountain Open Park Open Space and Horsetooth Space have excellent examples of native Mountain Open Space. forests at higher elevations. Forests: This habitat is common in Wet Meadows: This habitat is most the montane zone, but also occurs on common in the montane zone in forest cool, wet, north- or east-facing slopes in openings, but can occur locally along the upper reaches of the foothills zone. rivers and other wetlands in the foothills Forests create dense shade habitat for and plains. Similar to grasslands, this shrubs and wildflowers (e.g., aster, habitat is dominated by grass-like plants, clematis and arnica). Ponderosa pine but it has abundant moisture at least forests generally occur in the driest seasonally, usually from snowmelt. forest habitats, where fire is most Columbines, asters and lilies are common. Douglas fir forests dominate common in this habitat. on north-facing slopes, near streams or 13 14 Open Space Conservation impacted by people as the Front Range has developed. Flat grasslands with Larimer County Open Space areas good soils support agriculture. Riparian provide some of the best remaining areas, with their abundant water, attract examples of nearly wild habitats for human settlement. Larimer County plants and animals in the county. Open Open Space areas preserve good quality spaces