Natural History Wanderings

Oregon Wildflowers has three new wildflower bloom reports

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge It is still early, but there are copious amounts of Western Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis) in bloom. Also blooming are: Oregon Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum), Manroot (Marah oreganus), Western Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia var. semiintegrifolia), and a few patches of Henderson’s Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) near the viewpoint.

William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge This report is for the Mill Hill Loop. The primary flowers currently blooming are: Western Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis), Oregon Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum), Candyflower (Claytonia sibirica), Oaks toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii var. nuttallii), Wood Violet (Viola glabella), Evergreen Violet (Viola sempervirens), and Fairyslipper (Calypso bulbosa)>.

Also blooming are: Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum), Giant White Wakerobin (Trillium albidum), Oregon Iris (Iris tenax), Smith’s Fairybell (Disporum smithii), False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), and Western Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia var. semiintegrifolia). I also saw a couple Common Camas (Cammasia quamash) plants blooming along the trail, and few patches of Henderson’s Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) near the start of the loop as well as near the Refuge Office.

There are numerous muddy patches along the trail, so bring appropriate footwear. Also, there are copious amounts of poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) next to the trail, so STAY ON THE TRAIL!

Eagle Creek I am new around here and far from an authority about Oregon Wildflowers, but it felt like things were just warming up in terms of the spring bloom. There were patches that were loaded with flowers and then a bit of a walk before the rest popped in to view. These are the flowers that I photographed: Nuttall’s Larkspur, Delphinium nuttallii Giant Blue-eyed Mary, Collinsia grandiflora Oaks Toothwort, Cardamine nuttallii Oregon Saxifrage, Saxifraga oregana Roundleaf Violet, Viola orbiculata Western Meadowrue, Thalictrum occidentale Western Trillium, Trillium ovatum Prairie Star, Lithophragma parviforum Gold Star, Crocidium multicaule Small-flowered blue-eyed Mary, Collinsia parviflora Chickweed Monkeyflower, Mimulus alsinoides Desert Shooting Star, Dodecatheon conjugens Dutchman’s Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria Hooker’s Fairy Bells, Prosartes hookeri Pacific Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa