Western Meadowrue (Thalictrum occidentale)
Upper Royal Basin, Olympic National Park, WA, 7/2016.
In moist meadows or forests you will often see these odd looking plants. (more…)
Thin-petal Larkspur (Delphinium lineapetalum)
Leavenworth Ski Hill, Wenatchee National Forest, 5/2017.
The monkshood we posted recently was named Aconitum delphinifolium, as its leaves resembled that of a delphinium, or Larkspur. (more…)
Northern Monkshood (Aconitum delphinifolium)
Lower Dewey Lake, Skagway, AK, 7/2017.
We’re posting this Northern Monkshood, found on the westside flower garden bordering Lower Dewey lake above Skagway, Alaska this summer, even though we’ve not yet posted the more common western columbianum Monkshood. (more…)
Oregon Anemone (Anemone oregana)
Crescent Mountain Trail, Willamette National Forest, OR, 6/2017.
Thanks to Ross & Chambers’ classic Wildflowers of the Western Cascades (a flora of Iron Mountain which, coincidentally, is just a few miles west on Oregon Highway 20 from where these pictures were taken), we now can differentiate Anemone oregana from the very similar lyallii. (more…)
Upland Larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum)
Rowena Plateau, Tom McCall Nature Preserve, Columbia Gorge, OR, 3/2015.
If you’re seeing larkspur now (early spring) in the Northwest, chances are that it’s this variety. Also called “Common Larkspur”. (more…)
Baneberry (Actaea rubra)
Lookout Mountain Trail, Ochoco NF, OR 6/2023.
This member of the buttercup family is seen at all elevations across most of the the Northeast, North-central, and Western U.S. (more…)
Windflower (Anemone deltoidea)
Rainy Lake Road, Columbia Gorge, OR, 6/2014.
The genus name comes from the Greek anemos, meaning “wind”, so technically all anemones are “wind flowers,” but this is the only western variety that is usually called by that name. (more…)
White-veined Wintergreen (Pyrola picta)
Cone Peak Trail, near Iron Mountain, OR, 7/2014.
Compare to Bog Wintergreen. (more…)
Lyall’s Anemone (Anemone lyallii)
Mt. Hood N.W.A., OR, 7/2012.
Named after David Lyall (1817-1895), a globetrotting Scottish botanist, surgeon, and British Naval officer, who spent time and discovered plants in Greenland, both poles, New Zealand, the Mediterranean, and the pacific northwest. (more…)
False Bugbane (Trautvetteria caroliniensis)
Northern Loop Trail, Mt. Rainier N.P., WA, 8/2011
The flowers of this plant have no petals, only stamens. Distinguishable from true bugbane by its maple-shaped leaves.
Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia flavescens)
Lake Louise, Banff N.P. , Alberta, Canada. 7/2011.
This plant’s boiled roots were once used as a cure for diarrhea. It’s better known cousin, Crimson Columbine can be found here.
Western Anemone (Anemone occidentalis)
Inlet of “Big” Cougar Lake, William O. Douglas Wilderness, WA, 7/2014
“Born on wooley stems” – Wildflowers of the Canadian Rockiers, Scotter & Flygare, 1986 (more…)
Alpine Buttercup aka Snow Buttercup (Ranniculus eschscholtzii)
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Royal Basin, Olympics National Park, WA, 7/2016.
“Seen only by those who venture near or above timberline” – Wildflowers of the Canadian Rockies, Scotter & Flygare, 1986 (more…)
Western Anemone seed head (Anemone occidentalis)
Glacier Peak, WA. 8/2006.
This is the seed head of the plant, after the flower has gone. The flower is here. The plant has many nicknames, including Chalice Flower and Western Pasqueflower, and the unusual looking seed head has given it several more, including Old Man of the Mountain and Tow-headed Baby, and we’ve even heard it called “Mouse-on-a-stick.” The ones in this picture are certainly mouse-like. Washington’s Glacier Peak is in the background.
Crimson Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Silver Star Mountain, Columbia Gorge, WA, 6/2014.
There’s no mistaking the unique sculptural Columbine for any other mountain flower. It’s a good day when you find these elegant beauties gracing a trail en mass. (more…)
Marsh Marigold aka Elk’s Lip (Caltha leptosepala)
Sturgeon Trail near Silver Star Mountain, WA, 5/2015.
Medieval Christians dedicated this flower to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Shakespeare makes reference to it in his play Cymbeline. (more…)
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