Cherskii-Kolyma mountain tundra
RESOLVE 771
The Cherskii-Kolyma mountain tundra is a Palearctic tundra ecoregion occupying the higher elevations of the Chersky Range and the Kolyma Mountains in northeastern Russia, a mosaic of montane terrain that also takes in the Verkhoyansk, Ulakhan-Chistay, and Moma ranges and stretches roughly 2,000 km from the Lena River eastward and 1,000 km from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Arctic coast. Vegetation is arranged by elevation: scattered Dahurian larch reaches up to about 1,000 meters, giving way to a belt of dwarf Siberian pine along with Siberian alder, Rhododendron aureum, and shrub birch, and then to lichen-rich alpine tundra with heather and mountain-avens above the treeline. The climate is severe subarctic and entirely underlain by permafrost, with winter temperatures among the coldest on Earth, brief cool summers, and low annual precipitation. The endangered great knot serves as the ecoregion's flagship species, and the rugged terrain shelters reindeer, snow sheep, brown bears, wolverines, and Arctic foxes. Protection is uneven and concentrated in the west, leaving southern and eastern areas exposed to mining and infrastructure pressure, with the Magadan Nature Reserve guarding the southern edge along the Sea of Okhotsk.
About the tundra biome
Treeless polar and high-mountain landscapes of low shrubs, sedges, mosses, and lichens, where cold and a short growing season cap plant height. Soils are frequently frozen as permafrost, and these systems recover only slowly from disturbance.
Collections for this ecoregion
Curated multi-plant collections whose members all fit this ecoregion's zone range — no won't-grow members smuggled in. Overall fit class shown per collection is the weakest link across its members.
Climate-resilient · 2 plants
A part-shade starting point with shrub structure and low foliage contrast.
Annabelle hydrangea
Coral bells
Climate-resilient · 8 plants
Climate-resilient natives for warming zones (eastern NA)
A pollinator-supporting palette of eastern NA natives whose USDA zone range and broad continental distribution score high on the climate-resilience composite. Every plant tolerates 6-7 USDA zones and is native across 15+ US states + multiple Canadian provinces. Holds up under the SSP3-7.0 mid-century projection without the gardener trading wildlife value for resilience.
Switchgrass
Little bluestem
Common milkweed
Black-eyed Susan
Wild bergamot
Sweet Joe-Pye weed
Cutleaf coneflower
New England aster
Climate-resilient · 9 plants
Native pollinator border (eastern US)
A continuous-bloom native pollinator strip for eastern North America. Covers spring through frost with host + nectar plants spanning monarchs, native bees, hummingbirds, and specialist Lepidoptera. Little bluestem provides the matrix grass + Hesperiidae host.
Butterfly weed
Common milkweed
Purple coneflower
Wild bergamot
Scarlet bee balm
Little bluestem
Sweet Joe-Pye weed
Swamp sunflower
Smooth blue aster
Climate-resilient · 4 plants
A durable sunny border with summer bloom, seedheads, and upright winter texture.
English lavender
Purple coneflower
Black-eyed Susan
Switchgrass