Quick answer: 13 native Alaska plants have a recorded bloom range that includes August.
13 species
- Bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum · 11 states
- Bunchberry Cornus canadensis · 18 states
- Common sunflower Helianthus annuus · 18 states
- Farewell-to-spring Clarkia amoena · 4 states
- Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium · 37 states
- Giant red paintbrush Castilleja miniata · 13 states
- Harebell Campanula rotundifolia · 35 states
- Littleflower penstemon Penstemon procerus · 11 states
- Pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea · 38 states
- Seep monkeyflower Erythranthe guttata · 15 states
- Shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda · 23 states
- Western columbine Aquilegia formosa · 1 states
- Western yarrow Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis · 18 states
August in an Alaska native garden
August is a quieter month in Alaska: 13 of the state's 40 native plants flower in August, compared with 29 at the June peak. That makes these plants valuable for keeping color, and food for pollinators, going outside the main season.
4 finish in August, including Bog Labrador tea, Farewell-to-spring and Littleflower penstemon, so this is the last chance to see them in flower.
12 of them grow in full or partial sun and 4 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. 5 stay under about 3 feet, including Giant red paintbrush and Pearly everlasting, which suits borders and small yards. For wildlife, 12 support pollinators, 6 provide food or cover for birds and 3 are caterpillar host plants.
7 of the 13 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species. Be careful buying Harebell, Shrubby cinquefoil: common listings for these are often a bred variety or a different species.
Good places to start
Verified wild-species listings that take sun and are widely native, so they are forgiving first plants.
- Pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea · Sun, Part Shade · blooms Jun-Oct
- Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium · Sun · blooms Jun-Sep
- Western columbine Aquilegia formosa · Sun, Part Shade · blooms May-Aug