Summer Wild Flowers Mongolia
Summer in Mongolia brings a vibrant burst of colour and life. I spend most summer weekends in Mongolia hiking at Bogd Khan forest, and am always impressed by abundance, and variety of wild flowers I come across.
Stepping out from a forest to a meadow is like coming across a colourful carpet laid out under the bright sun. Sparks of colour sprinkle across the hillside meadows and grasshoppers explode out of the grass, clicking away to announce your arrival.
Back in the shade of the forest, birds and squirrels flit around in treetops, and down below, colourful pops of wild flowers sneak in between the tall trees.
In the great Gobi Desert, it can appear to be an endless dry landscape, but look closely around and you will find all sorts of life. Lizards scurry around prickly bushes with vibrant flowers, and sandy flats are covered in interesting plants and herbs.
Everywhere you look you will be able to find new flowers, and everywhere you go you are guaranteed an interesting nature walk.
To make sure you catch them, plan your travel for July or August. You can find a range of flowers across different habitats including desert, grassy steppes, meadows, forests, and high altitude alpine belt.
Tips- Whether you are going on a multi-day tour, or just out for a family picnic, make sure you bring lots of water and snacks. From what I’ve observed, a lot of flowers are pollinated by flies, so if you don’t want lots of flies annoying you and walking all over your arms and head, wear a long-sleeved shirt and be sure to bring a hat (flies drive me nuts!).
I’m not a flower expert, just an enthusiastic fan! If you want to add your expertise or correct my IDs, please get in touch with me or leave a comment at the end of this article, I’d love to hear from you.
contents
34 Types of Mongolian Wild Flowers to Spot in Summer
Where to find wild flowers in Mongolia
Can you ID these wild flowers?
Resources- Mongolian Wild flowers
*This post contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you make a purchase through these links I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
34 Types of Mongolian Wild Flowers to Spot in Summer
Yellow Poppy- Papaver nudicaule L.
In summer you will see whole hillsides and roadsides covered in these vibrant yellow poppies. You can find them pretty much everywhere, even growing wild around the city. If you go to Bogd Khan of Terelj National park, you should spot some. They are native to subpolar regions of Asia, North America, and are common in the mountains of Central Asia and temperate China.
This Mongolian wildflower is a perennial that grows up to 60cm tall and is found from sandy riverbanks to forest meadows, to high on rocky mountains.
Mongolian name- Нүцгэн Намуу (Nutsgen Namuu)
Yellow Poppy- Papaver nudicaule L.. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan Mongolia.
2. Asian Globeflower- Trollius asiaticus
This Mongolian wild flower is found in meadows, on meadow slopes and meadow plots, on riverbanks and on small lake coasts. It is often found in wet places. I spotted this one in the forest at Bogd Khan, where they are very common. These flowers are bright and easy to spot in summer, from June to August. They grow between 20cm-80cm.
Mongolian name- Азийн жамъяанмядаг (Aziin Jamyanmyadag)
Asian Globeflower- Trollius asiaticus. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan Mongolia.
3. Alpine Aster - Aster alpinus L.
Known as alpine aster or blue alpine daisy, this Mongolian wildflower can be found across a range of habitats. It is found in and on the fringes of larch forests, in meadows and steppe slopes, on stony and rocky slopes, and on mountain steppes and alpine belts.
The flowers are blue to purple and flower between June to September. It is common to see large patches of these flowers across meadows. I saw these in the Bogd Khan forest where there are hundreds of them in summer.
Mongolian name- Тагийн голгэсэр (Tagiin golgeser)
Alpine Aster - Aster alpinus L. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
4. Narcissus anemone- Anemone narcissiflora subsp. crinita juz
This subspecies of the Narcissus anemone is native to Siberia and Mongolia. It can be found in larch forests, dwarf birch thickets, in forest meadows and forest fringes, on meadow slopes and scree brook banks, in alpine meadows, tundra, and rock fields. I saw these on a meadow slope at Bogd Khan in July.
They grow between 10-45cm tall and flower between June to September.
Mongolian name- Сэгсгэр яргуйжин (Segsger Yarguijin)
Narcissus anemone- Anemone narcissiflora subsp. crinita juz. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
5. Mongolian milkvetch- Astragalus propinquus
Mongolian Milkvetch is one of the fifty fundamental herbs used in Chinese traditional medicine. It is native to Mongolia, Northern China, and the Sichuan and Yuan Provinces of China. It can be found growing wild in Mongolia around forests, waterside meadows, forests fringes, and meadow slopes.
Mongolian name- Тарваган харгана (Tarvagan hargana)
Mongolian milkvetch- Astragalus propinquus. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
6. China Pink- Dianthus Chinensis L.
A Dianthus species native to Mongolia, Northern China, Korea, and Southeast Russia. It can be found on steppes, steppe meadows, stony slopes, dry debris, and rocky areas. This Mongolian flower is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows 30–50 cm tall.
Mongolian name- Алаг цэцэгт башир (Alag tsetsegt bashir)
China Pink- Dianthus Chinensis L. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
7. Edelweiss- Leontopodium ochroleucum
Edelweiss can be found in Mongolia on montane steppe to alpine belt, and often on stony or rocky slopes. It is easily recognisable by the fuzzy, stocky ‘petals’ that somewhat resemble lion’s paws, hence the name leon (lion) and podion (foot). This photo is from Terelj National Park, but I have seen edelweiss in many places around Mongolia.
Mongolia name- Эгэл цагаантүрүү (Egel Tsagaanturuu)
Edelweiss- Leontopodium ochroleucum. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Terelj National Park.
8. Jacobs Ladder- Polemonium caeruleum
Jacob’s Ladder is also known as Greek valerian and is native to Europe, America, and Eurasia. The plant usually reaches a height from 45 to 60cm and star-shaped, blue or white, five petalled flowers. I came across this flower at Bogd Khan in July. Historically this plant was used as medicine in ancient Greece to treat dysentery, toothaches and animals bites, though it is not used medically today.
Jacobs Ladder- Polemonium caeruleum. Photot taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan in July.
9. Prickly Rose- Rosa acicularis
This beautiful pink rose can be found on forest fringes, in larch and pine forests, on mountains, birch forests, screes, stony places in forests and alpine belt. It is a shrub that grows 1-3m tall and flowers from June to September. I’ve come across these in the forest at Manzushir Monastery, Bogd Khan forest, and Terelj National park.
Mongolian name- Өргөст нохойн хошуу (Urgust nokhoin khoshuu)
Prickly Rose- Rosa acicularis. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
10. Jerusalem Sage- Phlomis tuberosa L.
This Mongolian wildflower is found in steppe and mountain meadows, on forest fringes, the bottom of creek valleys and upland meadows. I found this one is full sunlight in a meadow at the top of Bogd Khan. It is a fast growing perennial that reaches 40-150cm and spreads 60-90cm wide.
Mongolian name- Булцуут туйпланцар (Bultsuut tuiplantsar)
Jerusalem Sage- Phlomis tuberosa L. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
11. Forget-me-not- Myosotis krylovii serg
Forget-me-nots are a tiny blue flower that is typically less than 1cm in diameter. In Mongolia they can be found in waterside meadows, dwarf birch and willow thickets, alpine meadows, montane tundra, in larch forests, on forest fringes, and in stone fields. They flower in July and August. I’ve found these growing on riverbanks and in forests. This photo is from Bogd Khan.
Mongolian name- Крыловын дурсгалж (Kriloviin Dursgalj)
Forget-me-not- Myosotis krylovii serg. Photo take by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
12. Siberian Patrinia- Patrinia sibirica
These tiny yellow flowers grow in clumps and have thin stems and few leaves. This plant is native to China, Siberia, and Japan, and is found in grassy mountain habitats. This photo was taken at Terelj National Park in July.
Mongolian name- Сибирь сэрхлэг (Sibiri serkhleg)
Siberian Patrinia- Patrinia sibirica. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Terelj National Park.
13. Speedwell- Veronica incana
This Mongolian wildflower has deep violet-blue flowers that grow in spikes and stand out well in meadows. They are silvery grey leaves and flower in July. They can be found on steppe mountain slopes, and steppe meadows. I’ve often seen butterflies landing on them, but never managed to get a good photo!
Mongolian name- Буурал гандбадраа (Boral gandbadra)
Speedwell- Veronica incana. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
14. Globe thistle- Echinops latifilius
The globe thistle is my favourite Mongolian wild flower. I’ve always called them Dr Seuss flowers until I learnt their name just now. It is amazing to see a whole field of these giant purple flowers bobbing along in the wind. I took this photo somewhere in a meadow near Darkhan. They grow 30-70cm high and can be found in grass steppes, dry meadows, debris and stony slopes, and flower in July.
Mongolian name- Өргөн навчит тайжийн жинс
Globe thistle- Echinops latifilius. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford somewhere near Darkhan.
15. Alternate-leaved Valeriana- Valeriana alternifolia Ledeb
This Mongolian wildflower has small purple flowers in bunches at the end of long stems. It is found in larch forests and on their fringes, in birch forests, willow thickets, and in forest and waterside meadows. This photo was taken at Terelj National Park. Valeriana has medicinal properties—its roots are used in traditional medicine for its sedative effect, for pain relief and for lowering blood pressure.
Mongolia name- Эмийн Бамбай (Emiin bambai)
Alternate-leaved Valeriana- Valeriana alternifolia Ledeb. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Terelj National Park.
16. Clover- Trifolium lupinaster L
Clover is a common wildflower that can be found on river banks, in forest meadows, in forest fringes and meadow plots, and in birch and larch groves. The flowers can be purple or while and flower from June to October.
Mongolian name- Шошлойрхог хошоонгор (Shoshloirkhog khoshoongor)
Clover- Trifolium lupinaster L. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
17. Medic Burnet- Sanguisorba officinalis
This is another one of my favourite Mongolian wild flowers. It is a wonderful sight to see a whole field blanketed in these red flower heads floating around in the wind. They are found in abundance in swampy and steppe meadows, on riverbanks, waterside shrubberies, larch groves and their fringes, birch kolki from steppe to alpine belt, and in forest meadows. This photo is from a lower hillside of Bogd Khan forest.
Mongolian name- Эмийн сөд өвс (Emiin suduvs)
Medic Burnet- Sanguisorba officinalis. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
18. Wild Strawberry- Fragaria vesca L
From my own experience, I’ve found these in forests all around Mongolia. You can find lots of them in Bogd Khan forest, but when they are fruiting, the strawberries closest to the paths go very quickly as this is such a popular hiking trail! We’ve found some good secret spots to find them in late summer in the higher areas of Bogd Khan.
The strawberries are small at around 1cm, but are super tasty and sweet. If you are driving out to Terelj in summer, people on the side of the road will sell them in jars or bags. It’s worth stopping to get some. The plants are recognisable by the small white flowers, and fruit in later summer.
Mongolian name- Зэрлэг гүзээлзгэнэ
Wild Strawberry- Fragaria vesca L. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan in August.
Wild Mongolian strawberry. Photo taken by Jenny.
19. Rhaponticum uniflorum- Rhaponticum uniflorum
This plant grows 20-100cm tall and has lovely pink flowers. It can be found on meadow slopes and dry fringes of larch and pine forests, on sandy steppes, and on steppe debris and stony slopes. It can be found from May to August. This photo was taken on a meadow slope at Bogd Khan.
Mongolian name- Өнчинцэцэгт ихзул (Unchin tsetsegt ikhzul)
Rhaponticum uniflorum- Rhaponticum uniflorum. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
20. Bird vetch- Vicia Cracca L.
This Mongolian wild flower is native across Europe and Asia and can have flowers ranging from purple, to purple-blue, to purple-red. It can be found in forests and waterside meadows, on meadow slopes, in larch forests, forest fringes, shrubberies, in waterside pebbled areas, birch groves, rocks and scree. It grows 40-50cm tall and flowers from May to July.
Mongolian name- Хулганын гиш (Khulganiin gish)
Bird vetch- Vicia Cracca L.. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
21. Fireweed- Chamerion Angustifolium
This beautiful pink flower can cover open fields and grows up to 150cm tall. It can be found on forest edges and grows particularly well in burned over land. I’ve seen this spring up in areas that had been cleared by forest fires the previous year. They flower in July and August. This photo was taken at Lake Khovsgol.
Mongolian name- Цайны хөвөн оройт (Tsainii khobon oroit)
Fireweed- Chamerion Angustifolium. Photo taken by Rosie Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
22. Plumeless saw-wort- Serratula centauroides L.
This fluffy looking pink flower grows 10-100cm and flowers in June and July. It can be found on steppes, steppe slopes, screes, and thin sands and sandy steppes. This photo was taken in the car park at Bogd Khan camp.
Mongolian name- Хонгорзулдуу хонгорзалаа (Khongorzulduu Khongorzalaa)
Plumeless saw-wort Serratula centauroides L.. Photo take by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
23. Bellflower- Campanula glomerata
Also known as the clustered bellflower or Dane’s blood, this Mongolian flower can be found meadows, meadow slopes,forests, and the shady bottom of creek valleys. It grows 30-40cm tall and has distinct bell-shaped flowers with five petals that are violet-blue to purplish-blue.
Mongolian name- Баг хонхонцэцэг
Bellflower- Campanula glomerata. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Bogd Khan.
24. Japanese Buttercup- Ranunculus japonicus thunb.
These buttercups have tall stalks and flower in July and August. They are common in waterside meadows, larch forests, birch kolki, shruberies at river banks, damp slopes of creek valleys, and forest fringes.
Mongolian name- Япон холтсонцэцэг (Yapon kholtsontsetseg)
Japanese Buttercup- Ranunculus japonicus thunb. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
25. Stellera- Stellera chamaejasme
These Mongolian flowers grow on stony and rocky steppe slopes and steppes. It is only found in mountainous regions of Central Asia, China, Siberia and South Asia. The white flowers are 5-6mm in diameter are grouped into rounded tightly packed terminal heads. The plant is poisonous and has caused fatalities both in humans and in livestock.
Mongolian name- одой далан түрүү (odoi dalan turuu)
Stellera- Stellera chamaejasme. Photo taken by Jenny Sandiford.
26. Statice- Goniolimon speciosum
This Mongolian plant grows 10-50cm tall and flowers in June to August. It can be found on steppe stony slopes and desert debri, and rocky and pebbly slopes. This photo was taken at Hustai national park in July.
Ultimate Guide to Hustai National Park Mongolia
Mongolian name- Дагуур хатны цэцэг (Daguur khatnii tsetseg)
Statice- Goniolimon speciosum. Photo taken by Maggie McClune at Hustai National Park.
27. Bindweed- Convolvulus ammannii
These Mongolian flowers range from white to pale pink with pink-purple lines. They grow low to the ground on debri and stony slopes, sandy and debri desert steppes, and saline waterside meadows. This photo was taken at Hustai National Park in July.
Mongolian name- Амманы сэдэргэнэ (Ammanii sedergene)
Bindweed- Convolvulus ammannii. Photo take by Maggie McClune at Hustai National Park.
28. Coral Lily- Lilium pumilum delile
These vibrant orange lilys standout in summer meadows like little lanterns and are another of my favourite Mongolian wildflowers. The flowers are always downward facing, which makes it rather hard to take photos of. These are very easy to find in summer and grow on open stony and meadow steppe mountain slopes.
You will find a lot of them in higher areas of Terelj national park and Bogd Khan forest. I’ve also seen them on the meadow slopes at Lake Khovsgol. It is a stem-rooting bulb that grows up to 60cm high. The bulb is 100–130 mm deep and live from 2 to 4 years.
Mongolia name- Одой сараана (Odoi saraana)
Coral Lily- Lilium pumilum delile. This photo was taken by Jenny Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
29. Iris humilis - Iris humilis
This beautiful yellow iris that can be found in sandy, stony and rocky areas, on mountain and hill slopes, in meadows, steppes, on the edges of birch forests, pine forests, and beside river banks. It is a rhizomatous perennial, and has a wide distribution range across Europe, Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. This photo was taken at Lake Khovsgol, Mongolia in July.
Mongolian name- Шар цахилдаг
Iris humilis - Iris humilis. This photo was taken by Jenny Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
30. Meadow crane's bill -Geranium pratense L.
Also known as or Meadow geranium, this Mongolia wildflower is extremely hardy at cold temperatures. It can be found in larch forests, birch groves, shrubberies, forest meadows and fringes. It grows up to 150cm tall with flowers that are blue to violet, blue, or white. This photo was taken in a larch forest at Lake Khovsgol in August.
Mongolian name- Нугын шимтэглэй (Nugiin Shimtegteglei)
Meadow crane's bill -Geranium pratense L. This photo was taken by Rosie Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
31. Gentiana- Gentiana barbata Froel.
We came across a carpet of these intense blue flowers in a meadow clearing surrounded by larch forest at Lake Khovsgol - Lake Khovsgol Mongolia | Hiking Adventure .
These photos were taken at Lake Khovsgol in August, and there were thousands of these flowers covering a whole meadow. They can be found in damp waterside meadows, on forest fringes, and river and brook banks.
Mongolian name-Сормууст дэгд (Sormuust degd)
Gentiana- Gentiana barbata Froel. This photo was taken by Rosie Sandiford at Lake Khovsgol.
Gentiana- Gentiana barbata Froel.
32. Clematis- Clematis tangutica
Clematis is a Mongolian wildflower that I’ve come across in desert areas, and this photo was taken in Bayankhongor. The yellow flowers hang like lanterns and later turn into large, fluffy seed heads. They are found in stony and debris slopes of hills and mountains, and slopes and pebbles of dry riverbeds.
Mongolian name- Тангад зогдор өвс
Clematis- Clematis tangutica. This photo was taken by Jenny Sandiford in Bayankhongor.
33. Slender leaf iris- Iris tenuifolia
This iris is found in sand and sandy-pebble desert steppe. This photo was taken in Bayankhongor, where they popped in colourful clumps across the sandy ground. They have long greyish-green leaves, a short stem and pale violet, lilac, pale blue, or purple flowers. All the ones I’ve seen in Mongolia are this purple colour.
Mongolian name- Нарийн цахилдаг
Slender leaf iris- Iris tenuifolia. This photo was taken by Jenny Sandiford in Bayankhongor.
34. Locoweed- Oxytropis bungei Kom
This looks like some sort of alien plant. This photo was taken on a rocky mountain slope in Bayankhongor. It can be found across Mongolia in areas of Mongolian Altai, Eastern Gobi, Gobi-Altai, and Dzungarian Gobi. Habitat is stony and debri slopes, tailing screes and rocks. Flowers are purple to violet-blue, and it produced these interesting legume pods containing the seeds. (I wasn’t sure on the exact ID of this one).
Mongolian name- Бүнгийн ортууз
Locoweed- Oxytropis bungei Kom. This photo was taken by Michael Howard in Bayankhongor.
Can you ID these flowers?
These are ones I didn’t know. Let me know in the comments if you recognise them!
Unknown Yellow flower 1
Found at- Bogd Khan forest in July
Yellow flower Bogd Khan Mongolia. Photo by Jenny Sandiford.
2. Unknown yellow flower 2
Found at- Bogd Khan forest in July. Tiny flowers
Tiny yellow flower Bogh Khan Mongolia. Photo by Jenny Sandiford.
3. Unknown yellow flower 3
Found at- Lake Khovsgol in July
Small yellow flowers Lake Khovsgol Mongolia. Photo by Rosie Sandiford.
4. Unknown plant
Found at- Baynkhongor in August
Green and white plant Bayankhongor Mongolia. Photo by Jenny Sandiford.
5. Unknown fluffy flower
Found at- Bogd Khan in July
Fluffy plant. Bogd Khan Mongolia. Photo by Jenny
6. Unknown purple flower
Found at- Bodg Khan in July. (Skullcap?)
Pink flower Bogd Khan Mongolia. Maybe Skullscap?
7. Unknown white flower
Found at- Bayankhongor in August
White flower Bayankhongor Mongolia. Photo by Jenny.
Where to find wild flowers in Mongolia
Bogd Khan National Park
The easiest place to see wild flowers from Ulaanbaatar is Bogd Khan forest, this is just a fifteen minute taxi ride from the city centre and a great place to go for a day hike or picnic.
Where to stay
How to get there
Get a taxi- Get a taxi to drop you off and text them again to pick you up. Tell them to drop you at Bogd Khan camp. I recommend using Help Taxi. Help Taxi phone- +976 09965 2371
2. Terelj National Park
Just an hours drive from Ulaanbaatar this is a great day trip or weekend trip.
Where to stay
Resort World Terelj- Email- info@resortworldterelj.com | Phone- +976 7777 7775 | Google Map | Website
Red Rock Resort Mongolia- Email- info@redrockresort.mn | Phone +976 7700 0111 | Google Map | Website
How to get there
Get a taxi- Get a taxi to take you out for the day, or they can drop you off for the weekend and pick you up again. Call them the day before to get a price. I recommend using Help Taxi. Help Taxi phone- +976 09965 2371
3. Hustai National Park
Hustai National Park is an ecotourist destination around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Ulaanbaatar. Hustai is the only place you can see the endangered Przewalski’s horses in the wild and a great place to go for a weekend trip.
Where to stay
Hustai Tourist Resort- Website | Telephone: 976-21-252244; 976-93230180 | Email- takhi@hustai.mn
4. Lake Khovsol
Lake Khovsgol is a well-known summer spot for Mongolian and tourists alike. It is near the Russian border in Northern Mongolia and the fastest way to get there is to fly to Murun. Or it is a twelve hours drive if you’d rather go on a road trip.
where to stay
Natures Door Camp- Tel: +976 99080416; +976 98380004 | E-mail: naturesdoor@magicnet.mn
Ashihai Resort- Email: info@ashihai.mn
Toilogt Camp- Mobile: +976-99092273 | Email: info@hovsgoltravel.com
Check out this article- Lake Khovsgol Mongolia | Hiking Adventure
5. Gobi Desert
The Gobi desert is a unique adventure. I suggest booking a tour and having several days to travel and explore.
Where to stay
Gobi Oasis- ger camp near the Flaming Cliffs
Checkout this article for more ideas- Epic Road Trip Mongolia - 13-Day Adventure
Summary
I hoped you enjoyed this list of wild flowers to find in Mongolia and this has inspired you to make a trip there one day! And in case you were wondering, the Mongolian word for flower is цэцэг (Tsetseg).
Please leave me a comment if you liked this article, or if you want to add your expertise or correct my IDs, I’d love to hear from you!
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Resources- Mongolian Wild flowers
Medicinal Plants in Mongolia by WHO- PDF
Collection of Mongolian Wild Flowers Photography- Facebook Page
Download Maps Me, an offline map that works anywhere in Mongolia.
Flower Identification books- see the three below I used. The best place to find ID books in Ulaanbaatar is at the Internom book shops or the departures lounge bookshop in the airport. They can be quite hard to find in shops and online (sorry I have no links).
