Natural History Wanderings

Oregon Wildflowers has four new reports

Saddle Mountain on the North Coast of Oregon. many species are in bloom at Saddle Mountain. Well worth visiting in the very near future. Photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/oregonwildflowers/permalink/476429449219381/
(NOTE: You must be a member of the Oregon Wildflowers Facebook group to view these photos

Larch Mountain  in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) are blooming profusely on the Larch Mountain portion of the trail. Avalanche lilies are finished for the season, but other species are blooming including Vanilla Leaf, Starry False Solomon`s Star, and Fairy Lanterns. Photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/oregonwildflowers/permalink/475643605964632/
(NOTE: You must be a member of the Oregon Wildflowers Facebook group to view these photos)

Mary’s Peak in the Coast Range. Many flowers are blooming at Marys Peak, including Indian paintbrush, Cardwell`s penstemon, Menzies` larkspur, western wallflower, gold stars, phlox, Oregon iris, mariposa lilies, and one lone stalk of beargrass. Photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/oregonwildflowers/permalink/475555289306797/
(NOTE: You must be a member of the Oregon Wildflowers Facebook group to view these photos)

Silver Star Mountain in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The annual kaleidoscopic display has begun! With the exception of the Avalanche Lilies (Erythronium montanum), everything else is still getting started.
Currently blooming along the Ed`s Trail loop include: Western bistort (Polygonum bistortoides), Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), Slender paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax), Martindale`s Desert Parsley (Lomatium martindalei), Mountain golden-pea (Thermopsis montana), Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum), Cascade aster (Aster ledophyllus), Woodland penstemon (Nothochelone nemorosa), Cardwell`s penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii), Cliff penstemon (Penstemon rupicola), Nuttall`s larkspur (Delphinium nuttallii), Rosy spiraea (Spiraea splendens), Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis), Oregon iris (Iris tenax), Evergreen Violet (Viola sempervirens), Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa), Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), Mountain Wallflower (Erysimum arenicola), Early Blue Violet (Viola adunca), Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus), Spreading phlox (Phlox diffusa), Chickweed (Cerastium sp.), Western Meadowrue (Thalictrum occidentale), Bunchberry (Cornus unalaschkensis), Columbia Lewisia (Lewisia columbiana) and Rusty Saxifrage (Saxifraga ferruginea) in rocky areas, Broadleaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolius), Columbia Windflower (Anemone deltoidea), and occasional Western Wood Anemone (Anemone lyallii).

Blooming at and near the summit: Cliff penstemon (Penstemon rupicola), Slender paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax), Martindale`s Desert Parsley (Lomatium martindalei), Cascade aster (Aster ledophyllus), Western bistort (Polygonum bistortoides), Spreading phlox (Phlox diffusa), and Mountain golden-pea (Thermopsis montana).

NOTES:

• There are many Explorer`s Gentian (Gentiana calycosa) ready to open.
• Although I would not describe this as a banner year for Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax), it looks very good particularly along higher elevations of Ed`s Trail and the old road.
• There are still lots of Avalanche Lilies (Erythronium montanum) blooming between the upper trail junction and the summit trail junction. Some, but not all, are past peak. These will probably not last long given the current heat.
• There are no Columbia Lilies  (Lilium columbianum) in bloom yet, though there are a number getting ready to open.