Natural History Wanderings

Oregon Wildflowers has the following two new updates

Cape Horn Wildflower Report 5/3/15

It’s a great time to visit this wonderful trail, especially for the ubiquitous Tall Larkspur (Delphinium trolliifolium). Other profuse bloomers include: Pacific bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa), Fairy Lantern (Disporum smithii), Piggy-back Plant (Tolmiea menziesii), and Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora).

Also blooming along the trail are: Candyflower (Claytonia sibirica), Pacific Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum tenuipes), False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum), Western Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza occidentalis), Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), False Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum), Wood Violet (Viola glabella), Sticky Cinquefoil (Potentilla glandulosa), and Columbia Windflower (Anemone deltoidea). Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) is about to open.

Painted Hills Unit John Day Fossil Beds  Wildflower Report 5/ 2/2015

the following wildflowers are in bloom at the John Day Fossil Beds (Sheep Rock and Painted Hills Units):
Flood of Fire, Story in Stone, Blue Basin, Island in Time, Painted Hills Overlook and Painted Cove Trails: Silverpuff, Golden Bee Plant, Fiddleneck, Western Tansymustard, Narrow-Leaved Skullcap, Maiden Blue-eyed Mary, Popcorn Flower, Rough Eyelash Weed, Basalt Milkvetch, Paintbrush, Hawksbeard, Small-Flowered Woodland Star, Thread-Leaf Phacelia, Mountain Goldenbanner, Bi-colored Cluster Lily, Desert Parsley, Taper-tip Onion, Tolmie’s Onion, Twin-crest Onion, Phlox, Orange Globe Mallow, John Day’s Pincushion.

Dog Mountain Wildflower Report 5/3/15

First, to address the common question (“how is the balsamroot?”): Now is a good time to visit because the balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidea) is at, or slightly past, its peak at Puppy Point (the rocky outcrop at 2500 feet elevation). However, I saw many plants that had not yet opened in the meadows between Puppy Point and the summit, so I think it may improve over the next two weeks. However, there are many other varieties blooming which make Dog Mountain well worth your time and effort.

Flowers blooming at lower elevations (primarily in forested areas but also in some open/sunny patches): Fork-Toothed Ookow (Dichelostemma congestum), Small-Flowered Blue-Eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora), Nine-leaf Desert Parsley (Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum), White Western Groundsel (Senecio integerrimus var. ochroleucus), Broad-Leaf Star Flower (Trientalis latifolia), Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), patches of Columbia Gorge Lupine (Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus), Baldhip Rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Smooth Woodland Star (Lithophragma glabrum), Threadleaf Phacelia (Phacelia linearis), occasional Western Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum), and Chickweed Monkey Flower (Mimulus alsinoides) in the rocky sections of the Augspurger Trail.

Flowers currently blooming in forested areas starting beyond the “More/Less Difficult” trail junction (app 800 feet elevation): profuse Hooker’s Fairybell (Disporum hookeri), Vanilla leaf (Achlys triphylla), Wild Blackberry (Rubus ursinus), Spotted Coral Root (Corallorhiza maculata), Star-Flowered Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum), Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), and Candyflower (Claytonia sibirica).

Flowers currently blooming at the first overlook (app 1600 feet elevation): Northwest Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidea), Harsh Paintbrush (Castilleja hispida), Western Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis), Upland Larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum), Bicolored Cluster Lily (Broadeia howellii), Rosy Plectritis (Plectritis congesta), Meadow Death Camas (Zigadenus venenosus), and a few patches of Cascades Penstemon (Penstemon serrulatus).

Flowers blooming in the forested areas between the first overlook and Puppy Point (app 2500 feet elevation): Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria lanceolata), more Smooth Woodland Star and Wild Strawberry, more Larkspur, lots more Fairy Bells, Columbia Windflower (Anemone deltoidea), a few Calypso orchids (Calypso bulbosa), Smooth Yellow Violet (Viola glabella), Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora), a few Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum), a few remaining Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum), and a patch of Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) near the first switchback above “heartbreak hill” (the steep section just beyond the junction where the More/Less Difficult trails rejoin). I also spotted some Dicentra cucullaria blooming along the Augspurger Trail, approximately 150-200 feet below the junction with the Dog Mountain Trail. Also, I saw several white stems that might develop into the elusive Phantom Orchid (Eburophyton austiniae).

Flowers currently blooming in the meadows starting at Puppy Point and above (2500-2800 feet elevation): LOTS more balsamroot, Columbia Gorge Lupine (Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus), Spreading Phlox (Phlox diffusa), Douglas’ Catchfly (Silene douglasii), Prairie Star (Lithophragma parviflorus), Big-Head Clover (Trifolium macrocephalum), Gold Star (Crocidium multicaule), Pennycress (Thlaspi sp.), as well as more Larkspur, Paintbrush, Chocolate Lily, Collinsia, and Buttercup.

CAVEAT: As always, the poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) lines both the Dog Mountain and Augspurger trails at low elevations (below approximately 1800 feet), especially the latter. Make sure that you know how to identify it! I recommend wearing long pants and having Tecnu waiting at the trailhead just in case.