A tall, fuzzy stalk of mullein blooms with soft yellow flowers in the Colorado prairie. The plant stands upright against a backdrop of grassy fields and distant mountain ridges beneath a partly cloudy sky.

A vibrant purple musk thistle flower bursts open, surrounded by spiny green buds and stems. The gravel path and golden foothills of Colorado stretch into the distance under a summer sky with scattered clouds.

A breezy cluster of delicate fleabane daisies with pale purple petals and yellow centers dances in the wind. The wildflowers sway gently in a field beneath a deep blue sky dotted with soft, wispy clouds.

A single prairie sunflower radiates golden yellow petals around a dark central disk. It rises from fuzzy green leaves against an open field with the Rocky Mountains faintly visible on the horizon.

Spring survey: Boulder County edition. Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), thistle (ouch), prairie sunflower, and fleabane doing their thing. Pollinators rejoice, hikers sneeze. Nature’s annual rollout is right on schedule. #wildflowers #boulderbotany #pollenparty