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…)
Yakima Milk-vetch (Astragalus reventiformis)
Dalles Mountain Road, Columbia Gorge, WA, 4/2014.
Yakima is the name of a group or tribe of Native Americans who live in Washington state. (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…)
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.
Baneberry (Actaea rubra)
Hamilton Mountain Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA, 5/2014.
This member of the buttercup family is seen at all elevations across most of the the Northeast, North-central, and Western U.S. (more…)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. arborescens)
The name refers to the bright red berries, not the flowers, which are white, as shown.
Silver Star Mountain, WA, 5/2015.
Green False Hellebore (Veratum viride)
Lookout Mountain, OR, 7/2013.
Although the plant is a common sight in northwest meadows, it can still be difficult to find in bloom. (more…)
Small-flowered Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii)
Labyrinth Trail, Columbia Gorge, WA 6/2013.
The nickname comes from the flower head’s resemblance to the curled tuning head of a violin. The bristle-like hairs that cover this plant can irritate the skin. The tiny black nuts that are produced by each flower are said to be poisonous to cattle.
Meadow Death Camas (Zigadenus venenosus var. venenosus)
Near Eight-Dollar Mountain, Selma, OR, 4/2015.
Some believe that mistaking the poisonous root of the Death Camas for the edible root of the Common Camas was what caused the death of Christopher McCandles (more…)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)
Brower Road, Columbia Gorge, OR, 4/2015.
Bleeding Hearts are the most prevalent of the Bleeding Heart family, which includes other oddly-shaped flowers such as Dutchman’s Breeches (also a Dicentra) and Corydalis. (more…)
Broad-leaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolius)
Lost Pass, Olympic NP. 8/2010.
All Lupines share the easily identifiable palmate leaf. Particular lupine species are notoriously difficult to identify. (more…)
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