 Spring is such a beautiful time of year in the Rockies. The grass is vibrant green, there's warmth in the sunshine, and if you look a little closer you'll even notice a little color in the sagebrush. The wildflowers you find will be very different depending on the soil, elevation, and ecosystem. Identifying spring wildflowers can be exciting and difficult because they bloom for such a short period. Some wildflowers that you might find in early spring in the sagebrush are low growing plants like pussytoes, which have white or pink flowers, and buckwheat with yellow flowers. Golden pea has a yellow flower. Some poisonous plants that bloom in the spring are locoweed, which has white to purple showy flowers, lark spur with blue or purple flowers, and death camus. On lomi soils you might even find bluebells or shooting rockets. Spring wildflowers not only add color to the landscape, but are also important food for wildlife because they are packed with protein. For example, sage grouse chicks depend on these forbs for energy and survival. If you get a chance, go out and enjoy the color and beauty of the spring wildflowers wildly last. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Mae Smith, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.