Natural History Wanderings

Oregon Wildflowers has just posted two more reports

Silver Star Mt. The annual kaleidoscopic display at Silver Star Mountain has begun. I estimate that, with the exception of paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), most species are not yet at their peak, and that viewing conditions should be excellent for at least the next two weeks.

Varieties currently blooming along the Ed’s Trail loop include: Western bistort (Polygonum bistortoides), Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), Indian paintbrush (Castilleja hispida), Slender paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), Beargrass* (Xerophyllum tenax), Mountain golden-pea (Thermopsis montana), Long-beaked hawkweed (Hieracium longiberbe), Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana), Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum), Cascade aster (Aster ledophyllus), Woodland penstemon (Nothochelone nemorosa), Cardwell’s penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii), Cliff penstemon (Penstemon rupicola), Nuttall’s larkspur (Delphinium nuttallii), Rosy spiraea (Spiraea splendens), Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis), occasional Oregon iris (Iris tenax), Tiger lily* (Lilium columbianum), Queen’s cup (Clintonia uniflora), a few Evergreen Violet (Viola sempervirens), Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa), Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), Mountain Wallflower (Erysimum arenicola), Subalpine mariposa lily (Calochortus subalpinus), Spreading phlox (Phlox diffusa), Columbia Lewisia (Lewisia columbiana) in rocky areas, Rusty Saxifrage (Saxifraga ferruginea), and Coiled-Beak Lousewort (Pedicularis contorta).

*Additional Notes:

• There is some Clasping Twisted Stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius) blooming along the steep section of trail after the arch and prior to the rock face scramble.

• There are many, many Explorer’s Gentian (Gentiana calycosa) ready to open, but I did not see any in bloom yet.

• Although there are already a fair number of Tiger Lilies currently blooming, there are MANY more on the verge of opening.

• I would not describe this as a “banner year” for Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax), but it looks very good particularly along higher elevations of Ed’s Trail (beyond the rock face scramble) and the old road, as well as along the Indian Pits trail.

• Unfortunately, the vetch prevalent at higher elevations is the non-native Wooly Vetch

• (Vicia villosa)

Echo Basin TRAIL NOTES: This trail is a bit rocky in parts of the forest section and shoes that provide good support such as hiking boots are recommended. There is one part of the loop section of the trail where a large tree has fallen across the path and you will need to take a big arc around the fallen tree, but have no fear, trust that the trail does continue on the other side of the tree. The mud is receding from the trail but persists in the meadow areas off trail. Please note that if you choose to go off trail in the meadow, to take care to tread very lightly and minimally in this fragile boggy habitat to help maintain future generations of wildflowers. WILDFLOWER NOTES: There were numerous forest and meadow plants blooming along this trail during my visit. The meadow is gorgeous. Some that were cited in Greg Lief’s 2015 report in early June of this year were still blooming or at least partially still going, and I saw some new ones and included them in this report from three weeks later, around Summer Solstice. Blooming in the forest: Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), Western White Anemone (Anemone deltoidea), Bunchberry (Cornus pumila), Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus), Vanillaleaf (Achlys triphylla), Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Sitka Valerian (Valeriana sitchensis), Great Polenium (Polemonium carneum), Starry Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum), False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosa), Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus), Snowbrush Ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus), Wood Rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum), Pacific Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum tenuipes), Tall Bluebells (Mertensia paniculata), Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), Penstemon (Penstemon sp.), Starflower (Trientalis latifolia), Sticky Cinquefoil (Drymocallis glandulosa), Large Leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum), Bride’s Bonnet (Clintonia uniflora), and Western Spotted Coralroot (Corallorrhiza maculata var. occindentalis) Blooming in the meadows: Elephanthead Lousewort (Pedicularis groenlandica), Shooting Star (Dodecatheon jeffreyi), Western Bistort (Polygonum bistortoides), Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa), Menzies’ Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii), Arrow-leaf Groundsel (Senecio triangularis), Tall Bluebells (Mertensia paniculata), Yellow Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum), Western Coneflower (Rudbeckia occidentalis), Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), Subalpine Mariposa Lily (Calochortus subalpinus), Bog Orchid (Plateanthera dilatata), Star Sedge (Carex echinata), Small bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus), and Merten’s Sedge (Carex mertensii).