Most Abundant Species
Denali National Park and Preserve is home to nearly 2000 species of vascular and nonvascular plants! These species are the foundation of the Park’s many diverse ecosystems. Located in the northern boreal forest biome, the landscape can be divided into three elevational zones: lowlands, subalpine, and alpine – each with a unique set of species that thrive there. Select from the list of the most abundant species in each zone below or:
Lowlands (below 650 m/2,133 ft)
This zone is predominantly forested; with black spruce forests and woodlands in areas underlain by permafrost, and white spruce and paper birch forests in well-drained uplands. Abundant species include:
- Vaccinium uliginosum – bog blueberry
- Alnus viridis – green alder
- Betula neoalaskana – resin birch
- Picea glauca – white spruce
- Betula nana – dwarf birch
- Picea mariana – black spruce
- Calamagrostis canadensis – bluejoint grass
- Empetrum nigrum – black crowberry
- Eriophorum vaginatum – tussock cottongrass
- Salix pulchra – tealeaf willow
- Rubus chamaemorus – cloudberry
- Rhododendron tomentosum ssp. decumbens – marsh Labrador tea
Subalpine (between 650 – 950m/2,132 – 3,117 ft)
This zone is a mosaic of scrub vegetation, spruce woodland, and meadows. Abundant species include:
- Betula nana – dwarf birch
- Vaccinium uliginosum – bog blueberry
- Alnus viridis – green alder
- Empetrum nigrum – black crowberry
- Picea glauca – white spruce
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea – lingonberry
- Salix pulchra – tealeaf willow
- Carex bigelowii – Bigelow’s sedge
- Salix alaxensis– feltleaf willow
- Calamagrostis canadensis – bluejoint grass
- Rhododendron tomentosum ssp. decumbens – marsh Labrador tea
Alpine (above 950m/3,117 ft)
This zone reaches the upper growth limit for plants yet still harbors the highest plant diversity in Denali. The alpine zone contains high numbers of endemic and rare species. Abundant species include:
- Betula nana – dwarf birch
- Vaccinium uliginosum – bog blueberry
- Empetrum nigrum – black crowberry
- Salix glauca – greyleaf willow
- Dryas octopetala – eightpetal mountain-avens
- Salix reticulata – netleaf willow
- Salix pulchra – tealeaf willow
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea – lingonberry
- Alnus viridis – green alder
- Festuca altaica – Altai fescue
- Carex bigelowii – Bigelow’s sedge
- Cassiope tetragona – white arctic mountain heather
- Mertensia paniculata – tall bluebells
- Rhododendron tomentosum ssp. decumbens – marsh Labrador tea
- Dryas alaskensis – Alaskan mountain avens
- Salix alaxensis – feltleaf willow