Natural History Wanderings

Here are two new wildflower updates for the Columbia River Gorge. Both of the websites have older reports as well.

Pacific Northwest Wildflowers has posted a wildflower report for Memaloose Trail (Memaloose Overlook to Lone Pine Hills) for February 18, 2013

Gold stars (Crocidium multicaule), Columbia desert parsley (Lomatium columbianum), pungent desert parsley (Lomatium grayi), salt and pepper (Lomatium piperi), grass widows (Olsynium douglasii) and the first western buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis) were observed near Memaloose today. The Columbia desert parsleys are much bigger and more numerous today, although they are still just coming out of the ground. The grass widows are much more numerous, perhaps 100 per acre rather than the couple per acre in weeks past. They will be peaking in about 2-3 weeks unless there is a big change in the weather.

Oregon Wildflowers has posted a wildflower report for Lyle Cherry Orchard for 2/20/13

walk up to the sign-in, and to the rock outcropping to the left. There is Columbia Gorge Desert Parsley blooming there, a few Yellow Bells on the way up, and wild cucumber by the parking area