Olympic Mountain Aster (Aster paucicapitatus)
Aster is Greek for “star”. Fields of these mixed with purple Thistles (Cirsium edule) graced our hike up Mt. Ellinor this summer, where the flowers, not the views (hidden by fog), were the main event.
(more…)Mountain Sagewort (Artemesia norvegica)
Tatoosh Ridge Trail, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA, 7/2020.
These Mountain Sageworts were mixed into the incredible flower fields we found on Tatoosh Ridge south of Mt. Rainier. (more…)
Arrow-leaved Groundsel (Senecio triangularis)
Mt. Hood, Vista Ridge Trail, OR, 8/2016.
One of the more common and easy to identify of the dizzying array of yellow composite flowers; we were surprised to find we hadn’t yet posted it. (more…)
Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Mirror Lake, Rooster Rock State Park, OR, 7/2015.
The big-heads of this aster family member can be dried, powdered and used as snuff, (more…)
American Sawwort (Saussurea americana)
Home Sweet Home, Olympic National Park, WA, 8/2018.
If ever one needs a reminder that flowers exist to attract pollinators rather than for human enjoyment, look no further than the homely sawwort. (more…)
Common Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)
Horsethief Lake, Columbia Hills State Park, WA. 5/2017.
While this plant is widespread and native to much of the western U.S., we still find ourselves taken with the rustic beauty of the flowers (more…)
Rayless Arnica (Arnica discoidea)
Badger Creek Wilderness, OR, 5/2015.
There are three species of “rayless” arnica in the northwest: parryi, spathulata and this. (more…)
Gray Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)
Sheep Rock Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, OR, 10/2017.
Golden rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) framed the arid piñon-juniper desertscape in our recent fall trip to Eastern Oregon. We saw them blooming everywhere across the rolling hills near the John Day Fossil Beds. They look similar to sagebrush (more…)
Tall Silvercrown (Luina nardosmia)
Leavenworth Ski Hill, Leavenworth, WA, 5/2017.
Variously called Luina or Cacaliopsis, this waist-high plain-looking plant’s leaves resemble those of Coltsfoot, with flowers that look somewhat like a Rainiera. Upon close inspection, (more…)
Cutleaf Fleabane (Erigeron compositus)
Marmot Pass, Buckhorn Wilderness, WA, 7/2017.
These pretty daisies were among many flowers blooming on Marmot Pass during our July visit. (more…)
Hoary False Yarrow (Chaenactis douglasii)
Horsethief Lake, Columbia Hills State Park, WA. 5/2017.
Also known as Douglas’ dusty maidens and Hoary pincushion, this white flower with woolly soft silvery leaves blends into the background. (more…)
Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)
Hardy Ridge Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA, 6/2015.
Although native to the eastern US, this weed grows in moist, disturbed soils across the country. The flower is very small, perhaps a centimeter or a bit more in diameter.
Columbia Gorge Daisy (Erigeron oreganus)
McCord Creek Falls Trail, Columbia Gorge, OR 6/2013.
Look for these on the cliff trail approaching upper McCord Creek Falls in June.
Gold Stars (Crocidium multicaule)
Lyle Cherry Orchard, Columbia Gorge, WA , 2/2015.
These charming members of the aster family, and the senecio (groundsel) tribe, bloom in early spring, usually in large groups. (more…)
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Along Redwood Creek, Redwoods N.P., California, 8/2014.
Introduced to this continent from Europe, so that its roots could be used as a coffee substitute. (more…)
White Western Groundsel (Senecio integerrimus var. ochroleucus)
Starvation Ridge Trail, Columbia Gorge, OR, 5/2014.
Varying in color from white to yellow, this single-stemmed plant concentrates alkaloids from the soil, causing it to be poisonous to cattle in its later stages. Also known as Paleyellow Ragwort.
Coneflower (Rudbeckia occidentalis)
Iron Mountain, OR, 7/2014.
Also called “Western Cone Flower” and “Western Chocolate Cone”. (more…)
Cushion Fleabane (Erigeron poliospermus var. poliospermus)
Horsethief Butte, Columbia Hills State Park, Columbia Gorge, WA, 4/2014.
“The name Fleabane was applied to this plant because there was a popular belief among country people that the flowers possessed some objectionable features that caused undesirable insects to give it a wide berth. (more…)
Rainiera aka Tounge-Leaf Luina (Rainiera Stricta)
Union Creek Trail, William O. Douglas Wilderness, WA, 7/2014.
Stricta, once thought to be a member of the closely related luina (pronounced ‘lew-eye-na’) genus, is now the sole member of the Rainiera genus. (more…)
Silvery Raillardella (Raillardella argentea)
Collier Cone, Three Sisters Wilderness, OR, 8/2013.
According to Turner & Gustafson (Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest), this groundsel relative is found mostly in California, and is rare in central and southern Oregon. (more…)
Rosy Pussytoes (Antennaria rosea)
Union Creek Trail, William O. Douglas Wilderness Area, WA, 7/2014.
Related to both Woolly Pussytoes and Pearly Everlasting (some call it “Rosy Everlasting”), this composite family member is found in sunny, rocky areas at higher elevations throughout much of the western U.S. (more…)
Woolly Sunflower aka Oregon Sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum)
Iron Mountain, OR, 7/2014.
Contrary to popular belief, we get plenty of sunshine in Oregon, especially during the summer months, when these flowers, coincidentally, are in bloom. (more…)
Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus)
Labyrinth Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA, 6/2013.
This pretty little thing, also known as Cornflower, is a noxious weed. Native to southern Europe, it is sometimes used in wildflower seed mixes. (more…)
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Bluff Lake Trail, Yakama Nation, Mt. Adams , WA, 8/2013.
We’ve been hiking on Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and in the Gorge the last few weeks and have been seeing these everywhere, usually in large bunches. We’ve seen them on roadsides, trail sides and lower-elevation meadows.
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