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
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
Badger Creek Wilderness, OR, 5/2016.
In the early 2000s, through DNA identification and global research advances, a few of the Cinquefoils, including this common lower elevation meadow flower, were moved from the Potentilla genus to the new Drymocallis genus. To date all three Drymocallis species’ share the trait of being ‘protocarnivorous.’ (more…)
June 15, 2020 | Categories: All Northwest, Cascades, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, July, June, Low Elevation, May, Mid Elevation, Olympics, Oregon, rose, SE Alaska, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Washington, white, Willamette Valley, yellow | Tags: botanizing, Flowers, hiking, pacific northwest, wilflowers | 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
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
Willow Creek Nature Preserve, Eugene, OR, 5/2016.
This is the most common of the bashful blue-eyed grasses we encounter, (more…)
September 10, 2019 | Categories: All Northwest, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, East of Cascades, grasslands, grasslands/prarie, iris, July, June, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Olympics, Oregon, purple/blue, SE Alaska, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Willamette Valley | Tags: cascade-siskiyou national monument, eugene, flower, green springs trail, hebo lake, hiking, wildflower | 2 Comments
Tire Mountain, Willamette National Forest, OR, 7/2019.
Often seen growing amid browning grasses from drying soil, this lovely flower gets its common name from the fact that it appears as many spring blooms are dying back, often carpeting full hillsides. (more…)
July 30, 2019 | Categories: Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, grasslands, grasslands/prarie, July, June, Low Elevation, pink, SE Alaska, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, Washington, Willamette Valley | Tags: clarkia, flower, godetia, Hamilton Mountain, tire mountain, wildflower | 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
Willow Creek Natural Area, Eugene, OR, 5/2016.
For Valentine’s Day, we’re posting our first of several native roses from our region, (more…)
February 14, 2019 | Categories: Coastal, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, dry open woods, edible, fragrant, June, Low Elevation, medicinal, Olympics, Oregon, pink, rose, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Washington, Willamette Valley | Tags: flower, Wildflowers | 1 Comment
The Varied-leaf Collomia is a much smaller sibling to the previously-posted Grandiflora collomia. Although their tiny sweet pink flowers (more…)
February 10, 2019 | Categories: Cascades, Columbia Gorge West, June, Low Elevation, May, Olympics, Oregon, phlox, pink, roadsides/disturbed areas, rocky slopes, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Unique to Northwest, Washington | Tags: coldwater lake, flower, mt st helens, Wildflowers | Leave a comment
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…)
September 3, 2018 | Categories: aster/composite, Coastal, Columbia Gorge East, Columbia Gorge West, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, Mid Elevation, Oregon, September, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Willamette Valley, yellow | Tags: Helen of Troy, mirror lake, Rooster Rock State Park, snuff, 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
Along the banks of Royal Lake, Olympic N.P., WA, 7/2016.
We’ve probably mistaken these for Death Camas, Bistort, or Valerian on many occasions. (more…)
July 11, 2018 | Categories: August, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, July, lily, marsh wetland/water's edge, Mid Elevation, Olympics, Oregon, SE Alaska, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Washington, white | Tags: bog, flower, Mt. Hood, Olympic National Park, royal basin, royal lake, wildflower | Leave a comment
Mary’s Peak, Siuslaw National Forest, 6/2016.
The common name “mistmaiden” is surely appropriate for these delightful flowers. (more…)
June 10, 2018 | Categories: borage, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, July, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, May, Mid Elevation, Olympics, Oregon, SE Alaska, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Washington, white | Tags: Flowers, Mary's peak, Olympic National Park, royal basin, siuslaw, Wildflowers | 2 Comments
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
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
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
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
Ridgefield Wildlife Preserve, WA, 9/2015.
This rustic, but pretty, flower is common to much of North America. (more…)
October 9, 2017 | Categories: Balsam, Cascades, Coastal, Columbia Gorge West, Low Elevation, marsh wetland/water's edge, orange/red, Oregon, roadsides/disturbed areas, September, Washington, Willamette Valley | Tags: flower, pacific northwest, Wildflowers | 1 Comment
Tygh Creek Trail, Badger Creek Wilderness Area, OR, 6/2017
The Diamond or Common clarkia, showed up near its close relative the Elkhorns Clarkia,
(more…)
August 31, 2017 | Categories: Cascades, Columbia Gorge West, East of Cascades, evening primrose/willowherb, June, Low Elevation, Mid Elevation, Oregon, pink, Southern Oregon / Northern California, Willamette Valley | Tags: Buckhorn Wilderness, flower, tygh creek, wildflower | Leave a comment
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
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