Olympic National Forest, WA 8/2020. Aster is Greek for “star”. Fields of these mixed with purple Thistles (Cirsium edule
(more…)
August 24, 2020 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , aster/composite , August , July , Olympics , rocky slopes , Unique to Northwest , Washington , white , yellow | Tags: endemic , flower , hiking , mt. ellinor , Olympic National Park , pacific northwest , wildflower | 1 Comment
Devil’s Rest Trail, Columbia River Gorge, OR, 7/2020.
We often encounter the tiny four-petaled blue flowers of the Veronica genus on our hikes in a variety of settings. (more…)
August 4, 2020 | Categories: All Northwest , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Cascades , Coastal , Columbia Gorge East , Columbia Gorge West , East of Cascades , edible , figwort / lousewort , July , June , Low Elevation , marsh wetland/water's edge , Mid Elevation , Olympics , Oregon , purple/blue , SE Alaska , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Washington , Willamette Valley | Tags: Columbia Gorge , flower , hiking , pacific northwest , wildflower | 1 Comment
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…)
July 28, 2020 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , aster/composite , August , Cascades , dry open woods , Olympics , raceme , rocky slopes , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Washington , yellow | Tags: absinthe , Alaska , flower , gifford pinchot , hiking , Mt. Rainier , pacific northwest , ridge trail , tatoosh , wildflower , wormwood | 2 Comments
Weldon Wagon Road Trail, Klickitat County, WA .5/2020.
This native flowering plant is one we often see on spring hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, (more…)
May 25, 2020 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , Cascades , Columbia Gorge East , Columbia Gorge West , grasslands/prarie , June , Low Elevation , May , Mid Elevation , pink , sandalwood , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Washington , white | Tags: botanizing , Flowers , hiking , klickitat , northwest , Wildflowers | Leave a comment
We found this guy holding on amidst alpine scree and snow near the crest of central Oregon’s Three Fingered Jack this summer. (more…)
November 5, 2019 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , borage , Cascades , Columbia Gorge East , dry open woods , East of Cascades , grasslands/prarie , July , June , Mid Elevation , Olympics , Oregon , pink , rocky slopes , SE Alaska , Southern Oregon / Northern California , white | Tags: flower , Mt. Jefferson Wilderness , Mt. Rainier , three fingered jack , Wildflowers | Leave a comment
Tygh Creek Trail, Badger Creek Wilderness, OR, 5/2016.
Roundleaf Alumroot is a demure relative of the bold colored Heucheras one finds in home gardens. (more…)
October 20, 2019 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , Cascades , East of Cascades , July , June , Low Elevation , Mid Elevation , Oregon , raceme , rocky slopes , saxifrage , SE Alaska , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest , white , yellow | Tags: badger creek wilderness , flower , heuchera , wildflower | Leave a comment
Pacific Crest Trail, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, OR, 7/2019.
At one point in the spectacular Hobart Bluff-Soda Mountain section of the Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, we found the trailside covered in these pretty Owl’s clovers we had never seen before. (more…)
August 20, 2019 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , broomrape , July , Mid Elevation , Oregon , pink , purple/blue , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest | Tags: flower , hiking , pacific crest trail , pacific northwest , wildflower | Leave a comment
Bagley Creek, Mount Baker National Forest, WA, 7/2016.
We didn’t initially think this plant was a saxifrage because we mostly saw the red seed heads and stems, (more…)
April 11, 2019 | Categories: alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Cascades , July , marsh wetland/water's edge , medicinal , Mid Elevation , Olympics , saxifrage , SE Alaska , Unique to Northwest , Washington , white | Tags: bagley creek , flower , mt baker , wildflower | 1 Comment
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…)
January 11, 2019 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , aster/composite , August , Cascades , Coastal , East of Cascades , July , marsh wetland/water's edge , Mid Elevation , Olympics , Oregon , SE Alaska , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Washington , yellow | Tags: cairn basin , flower , Mt. Hood , Mt. Rainier , Vista ridge , wildflower | Leave a comment
Horseshoe Basin, Pasayten Wilderness, WA, 7/2016.
In Washington’s Mt. Baker area, we stumbled upon this gentian, a less common variety within the pacific northwest (more…)
January 6, 2019 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Cascades , East of Cascades , gentian , marsh wetland/water's edge , medicinal , Olympics , pink , SE Alaska , Washington | Tags: bitters , flower , moxie , mt baker | 1 Comment
Vista Ridge Trail, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR, 8/2016.
Yet another of the many northwest saxifrage species; (more…)
November 25, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Cascades , Mid Elevation , Oregon , rocky slopes , saxifrage , Unique to Northwest , white | Tags: flower , hudson bay company , mount rainier , tolmie , Vista ridge , wildflower | Leave a comment
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…)
August 20, 2018 | Categories: alpine/subalpine meadow , aster/composite , August , Cascades , July , Mid Elevation , Olympics , purple/blue , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest , Washington | Tags: flower , home sweet home , north fork skokomish trail , Olympic National Park , skokomish river , wildflower | Leave a comment
Burnt Mountain Trail, William O. Douglas Wilderness Area, WA 6/2018.
Hiking along a ridge in Washington’s central Cascades, we were surprised to find a group of these large, unusual looking plants (more…)
July 1, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , dry open woods , East of Cascades , gentian , green , July , Mid Elevation , purple/blue , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Washington | Tags: Flowers , rimrock lake , us12 , white pass , Wildflowers | Leave a comment
Silver Star Mountain, WA, 5/2015.
Although we’ve long enjoyed the “spring gold” dusting of these flowers across rocky landscapes in the early spring, (more…)
May 28, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , Cascades , Coastal , Columbia Gorge East , Columbia Gorge West , June , May , Mid Elevation , Olympics , parsley , rocky slopes , umbel , Unique to Northwest , Washington , yellow | Tags: hiking , pacific northwest , wildflower | 1 Comment
Upper Royal Basin, Olympic National Park, WA, 7/2016.
In moist meadows or forests you will often see these odd looking plants. (more…)
February 4, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , buttercup , Cascades , Coastal , Columbia Gorge West , July , June , marsh wetland/water's edge , Mid Elevation , Olympics , pink , raceme , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest , Washington | Tags: Buckhorn Wilderness , dioecious , flower , marmot pass , royal basin , wildflower | 1 Comment
Hardy Ridge Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA, 6/2015.
We see three species of wild allium with some regularity on hikes in the Columbia Gorge and Cascades (more…)
January 28, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Cascades , Columbia Gorge West , edible , July , lily , Olympics , rocky slopes , umbel , Washington , white | Tags: Flowers , Hamilton Mountain , wildflower | Leave a comment
Badger Creek Wilderness, OR, 5/2015.
There are three species of “rayless” arnica in the northwest: parryi, spathulata and this. (more…)
November 19, 2017 | Categories: alpine/subalpine meadow , aster/composite , Cascades , July , June , Low Elevation , Mid Elevation , Oregon , Southern Oregon / Northern California , yellow | Tags: Badger Creek , Flowers , Wildflowers | Leave a comment
Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Dallas, OR, 5/2017.
This low elevation west-side species of Calochortus is notable for the extreme hairiness inside the flower. More than other Mariposa lilies (“butterfly” in spanish), (more…)
September 24, 2017 | Categories: alpine/subalpine meadow , Coastal , Coastal , grasslands , grasslands/prarie , lily , Low Elevation , May , Oregon , pink , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest , white , Willamette Valley | Tags: Baskett Slough , Dallas , Flowers , kruckeberg , mariposa , onps , Oregon , wildflower | Leave a comment
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…)
September 18, 2017 | Categories: Alaska , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , buttercup , July , poisonous , purple/blue , SE Alaska , Unique to Northwest | Tags: Alaska , flower , Lower Dewey Lake , skagway , wildflower | Leave a comment
Cone Peak Trail, Willamette National Forest, OR, 6/2017.
Spring Beauties are part of a group of plants sometimes called “spring ephemerals”, also including Blue-Eyed Grass, that harness the insulating properties of winter snowfall to send a shoot up from their underground bulb through the cold wet soil, during winter (more…)
July 21, 2017 | Categories: All Northwest , Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , edible , June , Mid Elevation , Oregon , pink , purslane , shaded forests | Tags: Flowers , Iron Mountain , pacific northwest , Wildflowers | 2 Comments
Royal Lake Campground, Olympic NP, 7/2016.
Last July we found a single specimen (above) of this uncommon primrose peeking out from among the rocks near Royal Lake Campground. One year later, and a few miles west, (more…)
July 15, 2017 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , Cascades , Coastal , Columbia Gorge West , July , pink , primrose , rocky slopes , Unique to Northwest , Washington | Tags: Buckhorn Wilderness , flower , marmot pass , Olympic National Park , pacific northwest , royal basin , royal lake , wildflower | Leave a comment
Crescent Mountain Trail, Willamette National Forest, OR, 6/2017.
To find these unique and delicate members of the bleeding heart family , you have to be looking for them. (more…)
June 18, 2017 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , East of Cascades , fumitory , June , Mid Elevation , Oregon , pink , rocky slopes , Southern Oregon / Northern California , Unique to Northwest , white | Tags: Flowers , Wildflowers | 1 Comment
Eden Park Trail, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR, 8/2016.
We stumbled across this fen of Ladies Tress orchids in the moist alpine meadows of Mt. Hood’s north side in late August. (more…)
August 31, 2016 | Categories: All Northwest , Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , August , Low Elevation , marsh wetland/water's edge , Mid Elevation , orchid , Oregon | Tags: Eden Park , flower , Mt. Hood , Wildflowers | 1 Comment
Horseshoe Basin, Pasayten Wilderness, WA, 7/2016.
We’ve only encountered this heather variety a handful of times; (more…)
August 4, 2016 | Categories: Alpine , alpine/subalpine meadow , Cascades , Columbia Gorge East , East of Cascades , heath , July , Olympics , Washington , yellow | Tags: flower , horseshoe basin , pasayten wilderness , wildflower | 1 Comment
nwwildflowers 