Natural History Wanderings

Mt. Rainier National Park reports wildflower bloom as of  July 2, 2015:

Though about a month early compared to normal years, many areas are already in peak bloom! This holiday weekend should be a great one for wildflower viewing, particularly in Paradise and Tipsoo. There are also impressive displays of twin flower blooming at lower elevations, carpeting the mossy ground in flowers. Twin flower (Linnaea borealis) is one of the easiest flowers to identify with its distinctive paired flowers. They can be white to pink in color and have the faint scent of almonds.

Wildflower Reports

Longmire: (7/1) twin flower (peak!), salal, pipsissewa, foam flower, northern microseris, tiger lily (late), slender bog orchid, self-heal, alumroot, saxifrage, pine drop, rattlesnake plantain

Sunrise: (6/28) peak: subalpine daisy, lupine, sitka valerian, paintbrush, cusick’s speedwell, American bistort, small-flowered penstemon, yarrow; late: phlox, arnica, jacob’s ladder; early: bracted lousewort, bird’s beak lousewort, tiger lily, false hellebore/corn lily

Tipsoo: (6/28) lupine, sitka valerian, magenta paintbrush, cinquefoil, phlox, pink mountain heather, bistort, speedwell, few avalanche lilies

Paradise: (6/27) lupine (peak!), sitka valerian, American bistort, magenta paintbrush, partridgefoot, pasqueflower, glacier lilies (late), sitka mountain ash, pink mountain heather, Jeffrey’s shooting stars, rosy spirea, slender/scarlet paintbrush, alpine aster

Owyhigh Lakes: (6/22) corn lilies, magenta paintbrush, arnica, alpine aster, tiger lilies, rosy spirea, thistle, cascade penstemon

Berkeley Park: (6/21) avalanche lilies, glacier lilies, bird’s beak lousewort, paintbrush, menzie’s penstemon, sitka valerian, paintbrush, rosy spirea, American bistort

See photos at Discover Wildflowers – Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service).