Rocky Talus Slope/Rock Outcrop: Plants

Mammals

Birds

Amphibians/Reptiles

Arthropods

Bryophytes/Lichens

Compact selaginalla

This is a dense, low-growing plant covering large areas of rocks, talus, and shallow soils. Creeping main stems and many side branches have lance-shaped leaves pressed to the stem. Cones are small, 4-angled and sit upright at the tips of the branches. Compact sleaginalla is widespread and common on dry, exposed areas in our grasslands and up to the alpine.

Shrubby penstemon

This is a low-growing shrubby plant that grows to 40 cm tall. Stems are reddish and brittle and the leaves are linear and grow opposite each other. The showy, blue-purple tube-shaped flowers are found in small bunches at the end of the stems. It is found in dry rocky areas usually at lower elevations.

First Nations used the plant to dye basket material, and in pit cooking to flavour foods.

Rocky Mountain juniper

This is a tree-like coniferous shrub that grows up to 10 m tall. The trunk is often twisted and the reddish-brown bark breaks into shredded, fibrous strips. The small scale-like leaves are greyish-green and fruit is dark blue and fleshy. Rocky Mountain juniper is common on dry rocky or sandy areas and south-facing slopes of the southern interior plateaus and valleys.

Want to find out about species at risk in rocky talus slopes and rock outcrops?
Go to Species at Risk