Natural History Wanderings

Mt. Rainier National Park reports currently blooming  on August 13, 2015:

Huckleberry and corn lily leaves are already starting to turn to fall colors, and most wildflower species have gone to seed. One common shrub called Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor) has dense, white plumes of flowers that fade to reddish-brown in fall and remain on the plant well into winter. Oceanspray is sometimes called “ironwood” due to its hard, strong wood. Before the use of nails, oceanspray pegs were used in construction, while native groups used the wood for digging sticks, spear shafts, bows, and arrows. The brownish fruits were also used in medicine.

Wildflower Reports

• High Lakes Trail/Reflection Lakes: (8/12) mountain bog gentian, pearly everlasting, sitka mountain ash berries; late: fireweed, cascade aster, corn lily; other: huckleberries in fruit, leaves turning color
• Sunrise: (8/6) pearly everlasting, yarrow, few paintbrush, pasqueflower seedheads, cascade asters (late), mountain bog gentians
• SR410/SR123 (8/6): pearly everlasting, fireweed (late), common st. johnswort
• Paradise: (7/29) fireweed, pearly everlasting, corn lily/false hellebore, cascade aster, yarrow, paintbrush, sitka mountain ash berries

See photos at Mt. Rainier National Park.