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
Olympic National Forest, WA, 8/2020.
A long car ride followed by a steep and crowded trail were suddenly made worthwhile when we spotted these endemic bellflowers growing in-between the rocks (more…)
August 18, 2020 | Categories: Alpine , August , bellflower , July , Olympics , purple/blue , rocky slopes , Unique to Northwest , Washington | Tags: botanizing , endemic , flower , hiking , Olympic National Park , olympic range , pacific northwest , wildflower | 4 Comments
Mt. Ellinor trail, Olympic National Forest, WA, 8/2020.
We often see these spikes of cream-colored bells on rocky peaks and ridges. (more…)
August 11, 2020 | Categories: Alpine , August , Cascades , Olympics , raceme , rocky slopes , saxifrage , Unique to Northwest , Washington , white , yellow | Tags: botanizing , flower , hiking , Olympic National Park , Olympic Peninsula , pacific northwest , wildflower | 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
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
North Trail, Cape Lookout State Park, OR, 7/2020.
One of two species of sand verbena native and unique to the Pacific coast (the other is Pink Sand Verbena, A. umbellata ), which blooms all summer and into the fall. (more…)
July 21, 2020 | Categories: Coastal , Coastal , July , June , Low Elevation , May , Olympics , Oregon , verbena/four-o'clock , yellow | Tags: beach , flower , hiking , Oregon Coast , pacific northwest , wildflower | Leave a 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
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
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
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
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
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 (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
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
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
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
Upper Royal Basin, Olympic National Park, 7/2016.
This less-common saxifrage variety can be identified by its matted, basal, rosette-shaped leaves (shared with the Tolmiei species) and its upright, red stems, but mainly by the yellow, orange and red spots on its petals. (more…)
June 4, 2018 | Categories: Alpine , August , Cascades , Coastal , July , Olympics , Oregon , rocky slopes , saxifrage , SE Alaska , Unique to Northwest , Washington , white | 1 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
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
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
nwwildflowers 