Scarlet Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata)

Scarlet Gilia is one of my favorite mid-summer flowers. As a member of the Phlox (Polemoniaceae) family, it shines through the forest with its red trumpet-shaped flowers. This adaptable plant thrives throughout the west, from British Columbia to Baja Mexico, it’s found in diverse habitats like desert canyons, cliffs, montane meadows, mixed conifer forests, and subalpine rock fields. Widespread and common, Scarlet Gilia truly stands out in its range. This biennial flower spends its first year developing its basal fern-like leaves and taproot. In the second year, it uses stored energy to produce its stunning inflorescence. Each flower forms an elongated tube that bursts into five spreading corolla lobes at the tip. It’s is commonly grazed by elk and mule deer. Interestingly, this herbivory prompts the plant to shoot up several stems once grazed. Some evidence shows that this reduces energy production in the short term but can actually stimulate growth and benefit the plant. With a distinct skunky smell from the glands on its basal leaves, it’s is sometimes called “skunk flower.” It is primarily pollinated by long-tongued moths and hummingbirds, though other pollinators can be seen as well. The red flowers are commonly pollinated by hummingbirds during the day, while the white forms attract moths at dusk and night. I spotted many of these at Conboy National Wildlife Refuge, and they were getting ready to set seeds.