Plants
Following the rains and warming at the end of winter, the tundra of Unalaska quickly turns a deep emerald green. By mid-summer, a hiker off-trail may find himself waist deep in a glorious profusion of wildflowers, or resting happily on a springy "bed" more than a foot deep.
While Unalaska does not fit the classification of true tundra in that it lacks a layer of permafrost beneath the soil, it meets the general definition as "a level or rolling treeless plain characteristic of arctic or sub-arctic regions, with dominant vegetation of mosses, lichens, herbs, and dwarf shrubs.
The dominant plants of Unalaska's ground cover are Aleutian heather, kinnikinnick, crowberry, blackberry, grasses, mosses, and lichens, but a variety of plant habitats can be found from beach to bog to the unique plant communities found at the higher elevations.
At the crossroad of the two continents, Unalaska offers a unique collection of plant species to delight the plant lover.
Flowering species that stand out in the tundra are the putschki, with large white umbels on tall stalks, wild lupine, Mayflowers, wild geranium, purple iris, and fireweed.
Other distinctive species include cotton grass, dwarf and shrub willow, and monkshood. Monkshood, with purple bonnet-like flowers arranged along tall, slender stalks, contains deadly aconite poison. This poison is believed to have been used by Aleut hunters on the tips of their whale hunting harpoons. Around the islands, areas thick with blueberry and salmonberry bushes can be found, and berry picking is a favorite pastime of residents. Species that reward the careful eye include several species of bog orchids, the chocolate lily, and a small delicate ladyslipper.
At higher elevations, the visitor can find several species of lousewort, harebells, Chutchi primrose, and Ross avens. Two carnivorous species can also be found--look for sundew and butterwort lying in wait in boggy areas. No tree species are native to Unalaska and the only tree species found in any number on the island is the Sitka spruce. Although trees were found in a number of areas of the Aleutians prior to the Ice Ages, after being scoured clear by glaciations, they did not repopulate the islands. The why of this is complicated and not very clearly understood, but factors may include poor soils, lack of adequate sunlight, low average summer soil temperature.
Young Sitka spruce trees were first transplanted to Unalaska from other parts of Alaska by the Russians in 1805. In Sitka Spruce Park, three live trees from these original transplants can be viewed. These trees are the only trees in the United States to be designated as National Historic Landmarks. During the Russian period, other Sitka spruce were transplanted around the port; many were also planted by the military during WWII. Many of the plants found on Unalaska have a wide range of medicinal and food uses.