Rocky Mountain National Park is home to 900 species of plants. Some of the flowers found in the park are virtually extinct outside the park. Through the park rules against picking wildflowers and the absence of commercial development give the flowers a chance to flourish. The diversity in the park is largely due to the three distinct life systems in the park.The park's rich scenery typifies the massive grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Trail Ridge Road crosses the Continental Divide and looks out over peaks that tower more than 14,000 feet high. Wildlife and wildflowers call these 415.2 square miles (265,727 acres) of Colorado's front range, home.

The Montane System is found between the elevations of 7,000 feet to 9,500 feet. With dry, sunny slopes and open valleys facing the south and more moist slopes facing the north, this system has a good variety of trees and flowers. The ponderosa pine, distiguished by its "puzzle bark" and long needles, is found on both the north and south slopes. The Douglas fir and lodgepole pine are found on the north slope along with ponderosa pine. Many wildflowers are found here. Some of the more common variaties are the Easter daisy, pasqueflower, alpine aven, Western wallflower, and fairy slippers.

The Subalpine System is found between 9,500 feet through 11,500 feet. Here the Engleman spruce and subalpine fir take over. Where the ground has been cleared by fire, huckleberry and lodgepole pine flourish. In the higher windblown areas, the limber pine grows bent and twisted. Strong, cold winds can destroy new growth on the windward side of trees leaving permanent growth only on the protected side. These are called banner or flag trees. Near the tree line, new seedlings will germinate only on the shelter side of rocks that provide protection from the wind. These trees grow only as high as the rock that give them protection. These trees, called krummholz trees, can be several hundred years old.

The Alpine System is found at elevations higher than 11,500 feet called the tree line. Here life must survive a land of extremes with hurricane-force winds, arctic temperatures, and a radically shortened growing season.Plants must survive by adapting to the system. Plants form ground-hugging, moss-like clumps with long taproots.Many plants on the alpine tundra have dense hairs on stems and leaves for protection from the wind. They may also have red pigments to convert sunlight into heat and block ultraviolet radiation.

Ponderosa Pine

Fairy Slippers