Natural History Wanderings

Mt. Rainier National Park wildflower report for what is currently blooming on July 9, 2015

Many areas, such as Sunrise, report that peak wildflower bloom is already passing. Excellent patches of blooming wildflowers remain. Around Paradise, Scarlet Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata) is flourishing, along with purple Cascade aster. Scarlet Paintbrush is one of the easiest paintbrush to identify based on the shape of its leaves. There are several red paintbrush species in the park, but Scarlet Paintbrush is the only one with smooth, lance-shaped leaves. All the other species have lobed leaves. Except for Magenta Paintbrush, which has a distinct pink-purple shade, flower color is not a good way to distinguish between paintbrush species. Even “Scarlet” Paintbrush can be orange or even yellow in color!

Wildflower Reports

Paradise: (7/8) gray’s lovage, scarlet paintbrush, pearly everlasting, goat’s beard, cascade asters, rosy spirea, fireweed

Paradise Valley Road: (7/8) pearly everlasting, scarlet paintbrush, corn lily, arrowleaf groundsel, alpine aster, cascade aster; late: lupine, sitka valerian, American bistort, rosy spirea

Bench & Snow Lake Trail: (7/6) peak: white rhododendron, gray’s lovage, yellow monkeyflower, lewis (pink) monkeyflower, corn lily; late/few: fireweed, scarlet paintbrush, mountain bog gentian.

Sunrise: (7/4) past peak, but nice in shady areas – alpine asters, cascade asters, bog gentian,

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

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

See photos at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/wildflower-status.htm