
Weldon Wagon Wheel Trail, WA 5/2022.
We nearly passed up this rare orchid, well camouflaged within inches of the trail. This single plant with a pair of intricate nodding slipper flowers was the prize of a blustery May hike on a flower covered ridge just north of the Columbia Gorge. (more…)
May 15, 2022 | Categories: Alpine, brown, Columbia Gorge East, dry open woods, East of Cascades, green, July, June, Low Elevation, May, orchid, saprophytic/mycotrophic, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Washington | Tags: BZ corner, Columbia Gorge, flower, hiking, Little Salmon River, orchid, wildflower | 1 Comment

Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, OR. 5/2021.
Elated to discover multiple specimens of this unusual White Shooting Star growing out of a dripping wet cliffside in the Columbia Gorge! (more…)
July 5, 2021 | Categories: Cascades, Columbia Gorge West, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, May, Oregon, primrose, shaded forests, Unique to Northwest, white | Tags: botanizing, Columbia Gorge, flower, hiking, pacific northwest, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

McDowell Creek Falls, Linn County, OR, 3/2021.
This wildflower has been on our most wanted list for some time… (more…)
March 28, 2021 | Categories: Coastal, lily, Low Elevation, March, marsh wetland/water's edge, Oregon, purple/blue, shaded forests, Unique to Northwest, Willamette Valley, yellow | Tags: flower, hiking, pacific northwest, spring, wildflower | Leave a comment

Three Corner Rock Trail, Skamania County, WA, 5/2020.
It’s nearly impossible to hike in the Cascades without recognizing large drifts of this common plant in the understory, but nearly as rare is seeing it in bloom. (more…)
June 1, 2020 | Categories: barberry, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, Low Elevation, May, Oregon, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, white, Willamette Valley | Tags: Columbia Gorge, Flowers, hiking, pacific northwest, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Pacific Crest Trail, Hobart Bluff, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, OR, 7/2019.
We found these large purple flowers in alluring sun-spotted drifts while hiking this summer in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument along the Pacific Crest Trail. (more…)
October 27, 2019 | Categories: California, Cascades, geranium, Low Elevation, May, Mid Elevation, Oregon, purple/blue, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, Willamette Valley | Tags: cascade-siskiyou national monument, flower, hobart bluff, Non-native, pacific crest trail, wildflower | Leave a comment

Eight Dollar Mountain, Selma, OR, 4/2015.
A special two-colored violet found only in serpentine soils at the Oregon-California border, a unique botanical environment we return to again and again. (more…)
September 3, 2019 | Categories: April, California, Low Elevation, May, Mid Elevation, Oregon, purple/blue, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, violet, white | Tags: bigfoot, Flowers, hiking, klamath, serpentine, Wildflowers | 4 Comments

Viewpoint Mike Trail, Lost Creek Lake, OR, 4/2018.
We recently photographed this uncommon catchfly, and then realized we had also seen it on a previous trip visiting, Oregon’s southern Cascades. Although common in this limited area, we more often see Parry’s Catchfly, elsewhere in the northwest. (more…)
August 26, 2019 | Categories: California, July, June, Low Elevation, May, Mid Elevation, Oregon, pink, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, white | Tags: Flowers, hiking, lost creek lake, pacific northwest, Siskiyou Mountains, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Hamilton Mountain Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA, 4/2015.
We find coral roots, except for this striped species, faithful companions that reward those that closely scan the pine-needle floors throughout the wilderness areas of the Pacific Northwest. (more…)
July 23, 2019 | Categories: Cascades, Columbia Gorge West, July, June, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Olympics, orange/red, orchid, Oregon, pink, saprophytic/mycotrophic, SE Alaska, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Willamette Valley | Tags: Columbia Gorge, hetrotrophic, macrotrophic, mycotrophic, saphyrophyte, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Cone Peak Trail, Willamette National Forest, OR, 6/2016.
We rarely see this flower in full bloom, and then hardly ever without an insect of some sort on its lovely petals. (more…)
July 9, 2019 | Categories: Cascades, Coastal, fragrant, July, June, marsh wetland/water's edge, Mid Elevation, Olympics, Oregon, phlox, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, white, yellow | Tags: cone peak, flower, Flowers, Iron Mountain, Siskiyou Mountains | Leave a comment

Camassia Nature Preserve, West Linn, OR, 4/2019.
“What a pleasure, seeing the year’s first trilliums in March or April, just when the winter rains feel like Forever!” — Daniel Mathews, Cascade-Olympic Natural History
We couldn’t agree more! (more…)
April 21, 2019 | Categories: April, fragrant, lily, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, Oregon, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, white, Willamette Valley | Tags: camas, camassia, Edith F. Johnston, Flowers, Wildflowers | Leave a comment
We found this parasitic, purple-hued “flower” in a couple wooded locations in an early southern Oregon trip, (more…)
February 2, 2019 | Categories: broomrape, brown, California, dry open woods, Low Elevation, May, Oregon, saprophytic/mycotrophic, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest | Tags: horse rock ridge, wildflower | 2 Comments

Boundary Trail, Horseshoe Basin, Pasayten Wilderness, WA, 7/2016.
Grizzly food! Good thing we didn’t know this fact (more…)
September 10, 2018 | Categories: East of Cascades, edible, fragrant, July, Mid Elevation, pea, shaded forests, Washington, white | Tags: arctic tundra, flower, grizzly bear, horseshoe basin, Okanogan, pasayten wilderness, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

South Puyallup Trail, Mt Rainier National Park, WA, 7/2015.
This member of the orchid family is common in conifer woodlands across the west and northwest. (more…)
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August 2, 2018 | Categories: Alpine, August, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, dry open woods, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Olympics, orchid, Oregon, raceme, SE Alaska, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, white, Willamette Valley | Tags: flower, north beach penninsula, Puyallup, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Royal Basin trail, Olympic National Park, 7/2016.
This is the most common of the 3 twisted-stalks in our region. (more…)
July 5, 2018 | Categories: All Northwest, Alpine, July, lily, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, shaded forests, Washington, white | Tags: Olympic National Park, royal basin, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

Wahclella Falls Trail (Tanner Creek), Columbia Gorge, OR, 5/2015.
This flowering shrub is native to the northwest coast and Cascades (more…)
May 20, 2018 | Categories: Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, June, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, Mid Elevation, Oregon, rose, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, white | Tags: Flowers, pacific northwest, shrub, wildflower | 1 Comment

Britt Woods, Jacksonville, OR. 3/2018.
We tend to see three different species of yellow monkey flower in the Cascades and the Columbia River gorge (more…)
April 14, 2018 | Categories: April, Cascades, Coastal, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, figwort / lousewort, marsh wetland/water's edge, May, Olympics, Oregon, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, yellow | Tags: Britt Gardens, Flowers, jacksonville, Jacksonville Woods, pacific northwest, Wildflowers | 1 Comment

Rim Trail, Silver Falls State Park, OR, 5/2014.
Blooming earlier, and at lower elevations than the similar Avalanche Lily, and Glacier Lily, these are recognizable by their lovely, “mottled” leaves with streaks of white, lighter green or even brown (seen below). (more…)
April 6, 2018 | Categories: Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, dry open woods, lily, Low Elevation, May, Oregon, shaded forests, white, yellow | Tags: flower, Silver Falls State Park, Wildflowers | 1 Comment

Larch Mountain, Columbia Gorge, OR, 6/2016.
Although Twayblades are not uncommon (especially for an orchid), (more…)
December 26, 2017 | Categories: Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, green, July, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Olympics, orchid, Oregon, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Willamette Valley | Tags: Buckhorn Wilderness, Columbia Gorge, Larch Mountain, marmot pass, mount rainier, Wildflowers | Leave a comment

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…)
October 1, 2017 | Categories: buttercup, Cascades, dry open woods, May, Mid Elevation, purple/blue, shaded forests, Unique to Northwest, Washington | Leave a comment

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…)
September 6, 2017 | Categories: aster/composite, Columbia Gorge East, dry open woods, East of Cascades, June, Low Elevation, May, Mid Elevation, Oregon, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, umbel, Unique to Northwest, Washington, yellow | Tags: flower, leavenworth, tygh creek, wildflower | Leave a comment

Union Creek Trail, William O. Douglas Wilderness, WA, 7/2014.
Although perhaps the least showy of the pyrolas, the tell-tale curved stalk is endearing when repeated in a grouping, explaining it’s common name of sidebells or one-sided wintergreen. (more…)
August 13, 2017 | Categories: Alaska, All Northwest, Alpine, August, green, heath, July, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, shaded forests, Washington | Tags: flower, skagway, Sturgil Landing Trail, Wildflowers, wintergreen | 1 Comment

Deer Mountain Trail, Ketchikan, AK, 7/2017.
Some books put this plant in the Pyrola (wintergreen) genus, while others give it it’s own: Moneses. (more…)
August 6, 2017 | Categories: Alaska, Alpine, August, Cascades, Coastal, heath, July, June, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Olympics, shaded forests, Southern Oregon / Northern California, white | Tags: Alaska, flower, Haida, ketchikan, Kwakwaka'wakw, Lower Dewey Lake, skagway, wildflower | 1 Comment

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…)
July 27, 2017 | Categories: All Northwest, April, buttercup, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, purple/blue, shaded forests, Unique to Northwest, Washington | Tags: Flowers, Wildflowers | 1 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