Plant Identification

3. Silvery-gray shrub with a strong scent common in the Gunnison Basin.
6. Mushroom warning sign: white gills and a ring on the stem often indicate this type.
9. Light-colored tree rings indicate rapid growth during this season.
10. Tree with white bark and black scars commonly found in montane and subalpine zones.
11. Middle-elevation forest zone between foothills and subalpine areas.
14. Forest ecosystem dominated by long-needle pines with orange “puzzle-piece” bark.
15. Colorado’s state tree with blue-green, square needles you can roll between your fingers.
18. Powder released from the underside of a mushroom cap used for identification.
19. Outdoor ethics principle encouraging minimal environmental impact.
20. Wide-open ecosystem dominated primarily by grasses.
21. Bright red/orange wildflower often mistaken for having petals (actually bracts).
22. Low-growing groundcover plant with red berries and waxy green leaves.

1. Each ring in a tree trunk represents one year of this.
2. Ecosystem found along rivers and streams with higher soil moisture.
4. Tall purple wildflower common in disturbed soils with long stamens.
5. Long needles in bundles of three and bark that smells like vanilla or butterscotch.
7. Darker tree rings indicate slower growth during this season.
8. Substance sometimes found in toxic plants that appears white and sticky when stems are broken.
12. Mushroom identification feature: a cup-like structure at the base of the stem.
13. Colorado’s state flower with blue and white petals and spur-shaped blossoms.
16. Avoid consuming wild berries of this color: white, yellow, or ______.
17. High-elevation ecosystem above treeline with short growing seasons.