MAY Wildflowers in New Mexico and Where to Find Them

May 7

In New Mexico in May, the southern deserts go quiet with the oncoming heat, but the cooler northern mountains start to pick up the bloom with unique and beautiful flower that signal the abundance to come.

dog violet wildflowers New Mexico — Several varieties of purple violets grow low to the ground in moist montane forests. Their leaves and petal formations tell them apart. Western dog violet (Viola adunca). Rio en Medio Trail, Santa Fe National Forest.

wildflowers near me new mexico canadian violet — Canadian violet (Viola canadensis) blooms early in the summer and often returns for a later summer showing. Serpent Lake Trail, Pecos Wilderness.

wildflowers near me new mexico purple clematis

Violets are some of the first to bloom in the lower montane forests. Canadian violets can bloom all summer but often their best bloom is in the late spring/early summer and returning in later summer/early fall.
Where to see them: Aspenola trail, Jemez Mountains; Lower Rio en Medio, Santa Fe National Forest; Bull of the Woods Trail, Carson National Forest.

wildflowers near me new mexico golden banner pea serpent lake — Golden banner or golden pea (Thermopsis montana). Grows in profuse patches starting at lower elevations in early summer and moving up the mountains as the season progresses. Serpent Lake Trailhead, Santa Fe National Forest.

wildflowers new mexico candle anemone — Candle anemone or windflower (Anemone cylindrica). Likes open woods, streamsides, and rich soils. Uncommon in New Mexico. Agual Sarca Trail, Carson National Forest.

wildflowers new mexico iris taos — Rocky Mountain Iris or Western Blue Flag (Iris missourensis). Can cover hillsides in open sun in early summer, moves to higher altitudes as the season progresses. White Mountain Wilderness.

Early bloomers in the mountains. See the photo captions for information about each flower.
Where to see them: Hamilton Mesa, Agua Sarca Trail, Scenic Trail in Lincoln National Forest.

wildflowers new mexico near me lupine badlands — Lupine forms mats in the sandy soil of the badlands.

wildflowers new mexico badlands — The roots of the prolific lupine and Western wallflower hold together the sandy washes and highly erodable soil of the badlands during spring rainstorms.

wildflowers new mexico badlands sego lily — Fields of sego lilies bloom in May in the Lybrook badlands, but only after a good winter’s rain.

In May and early June, the Lybrook Badlands are full of unique flower scenes. Roads criss-cross the area and are changing all the time with on-going oil and gas development. Exploring this area is a true adventure! Bring a high clearance vehicle, a good sense of direction or a GPS and lots of water.

Where to see these flowers: Lybrook Badlands and surrounding badlands.