Plants follow water and cold
Mongolia’s vegetation changes with rainfall, temperature and elevation. Moving south from the northern mountains, you pass from forest to grassland to sparse desert shrubs, and moving up a mountain you pass through similar bands in a shorter distance. The result is a surprising range of plant communities for a country with a dry climate. This article describes the main groups in general terms. Exact species lists are long, and local conditions vary, so it is best to treat the descriptions below as typical rather than exhaustive.
Larch and the northern forests
The most characteristic tree of Mongolia is the Siberian larch. Unlike most conifers, larch is deciduous: its needles turn gold in fall and drop, then regrow in spring. This makes the northern and mountain forests particularly striking in late September and early October, when the slopes can glow yellow, though the exact timing varies year to year.
Larch commonly grows with Siberian pine, spruce, fir in some places, and birch. Aspen and willow appear in damp spots and along streams. The forests are strongest in the north and in the mountains of the Khentii, Khangai and Khuvsgul areas, where rainfall is higher and soils hold more moisture. Mongolian taiga is on the southern edge of the great Siberian forest belt, so it is often patchy, and tree cover tends to hug cooler slopes. Understory plants include shrubs such as wild rose, currant and berry species, mosses and lichens. Berries and pine nuts are gathered locally in some areas, and trees have long been used for building and fuel, though cutting and fire are controlled concerns in many places.
Alpine meadows
Above the tree line, the land opens into meadows and tundra-like ground. Plants here are small and tough: cushion plants, sedges, low willows and many flowering herbs. The growing season is brief, so flowers bloom in a quick burst in summer. Rock and scree slopes hold hardy specialists, and the highest peaks of the Altai Mountains are bare rock and ice.
Steppe grasses and wildflowers
On the steppe, grasses dominate. Feather grasses and other tussock-forming species are widespread, along with sedges, wormwood-type plants and many herbs. Their roots are deep and well suited to dry, cold conditions, and the plants are a main food for livestock and wild grazers alike. In years with good rain, the steppe turns green quickly in early summer. Many wildflowers appear then, including onion relatives, irises, gentians and other colorful species, though which ones you see depends on place and timing. If you plan to photograph flowers, the best time to visit is often in the early to middle part of the summer, but the weather can be unpredictable.
Wild onions and other plants have a role in local food and medicine traditions, and herders often know many plants by name. As a visitor, avoid picking or tasting unfamiliar plants: some are poisonous, and rules in protected areas often forbid collecting.
Forest-steppe edges and river valleys
Where forest meets steppe, you see a patchwork. Trees stand on shaded slopes while grass covers the rest. Along rivers, belts of willow, poplar or other broadleaf trees sometimes form narrow green ribbons through otherwise open country. Sea buckthorn, a shrub with orange berries, grows in some river and lake areas and is used locally in juices and other products.
Desert-steppe and Gobi shrubs
South of the true steppe, rainfall falls and plants thin out. Drought-tolerant shrubs and low plants such as wormwood, caragana, Nitraria (a salt-tolerant shrub) and various grasses mix together. In the Gobi Desert, saxaul is one of the best-known plants. It is a woody shrub or small tree with a gnarled form and little visible leaf, adapted to dry, salty and sandy soil. Saxaul has long been valued as fuel and stabilizes sand to some degree, so its loss can worsen dust and drifting. Camels and other livestock browse various desert shrubs, which fits with the role described in the Bactrian camels article.
Small oases and springs, as well as river channels that flood only occasionally, support poplar, elm or reed stands, which are rare, valuable and easy to damage. Around the large sand dunes, you can see sparse plants that cling to the shifting ground, especially after rain.
Plants, herders and the land
Plants are the foundation of herding life. The quality and variety of grass determines how well animals fatten in summer, and herders select pasture for the plants they know their animals do well on. Changes in rainfall affect which plants thrive, and sustained heavy grazing can shift the mix toward less palatable species. The discussion of climate change and grasslands explores this further.
Tips for noticing plants as a visitor
- Walk slowly and look closely at small details; many plants are low and subtle.
- Go with a local guide or ranger who knows the area when possible.
- Do not pick flowers or dig plants, and keep to existing trails to protect fragile ground.
- Take care with fire: dry grass and forest burn readily, and fire rules in parks are strict.
- Carry a flower guide or a plant-identification app if you enjoy the subject, but do not rely on it for deciding what is safe to eat.
The plant zones also create the habitat for animals, a theme explored in the wildlife survey, and they set the look of every region you travel through.