Polemonium viscosum, June 30, 2020
Common & scientific name
Sky pilot, Polemonium viscosum
Family
Phlox, Polemoniaceae
Location
Green Mountain, 12,500’ & Geissler 3, 12,600
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
If you’ve ever been scrambling along a rocky alpine ridge and swore you smelled a skunk, you were (sort of) correct! Polemonium viscosum, a common but striking tundra flower, sometimes goes by the name “Skunkweed,” owing to the strong odor it sometimes puts out. Like its faunal namesake, however, it is a beauty to behold, no matter the smell. So hold your nose and thank your lucky stars for being where you are: in the magnificent alpine among the magnificent Sky pilot!
P. viscosum, July 30, 2020