Orange Balsam

Although we have lived in this area for more than three decades, I had never seen the Orange Balsam (Impatiens capensis) in bloom before! This native plant grows in shady moist ground, near creeks and rivers. It can spread to large colonies, and we spotted two such areas, one at Jackson Bottom Wetlands and the other at Noble Woods Park in Hillsboro (6/28/2013).

It's easy to miss the tiny orange flowers because they hide under the leaves! These plants were exported to Europe in the 19th century. The Impatiens name comes from the seeds. When the seed pods are dried, they explode when touched, thus dispersing many seeds. For this reason the plant is called "touch me not" in some countries.

Butter and Eggs

The early western settlers must have had breakfast in mind when they first found Butter and Eggs (Linaria vulgaris). To my eye the blooms do have a dairy product coloring! This non-native plant blooms from late Spring though Summer, along gravel roads and in pastures. It's also called Common Toadflax and closely resembles Dalmatian Toadflax.

According to Wikipedia, this plant has been used in folk medicine for a variety of ailments. A tea made from the leaves was taken as a laxative and diuretic. In addition, a tea made in milk instead of water has been used as an insecticide (yow!). It is confirmed to have diuretic and fever-reducing properties as well. However, I am not suggesting you try any of this! Just stick to the eggs and toast for breakfast!

We spotted a small clump of these hiding in tall grass at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on 6/18/2013.

Bittersweet Nightshade

Summer brings a tidal wave of new wildflower blooms every week and I must admit it is a challenge to keep up with all these beauties! Some of the colorful ones can be deceiving though. You may have seen the Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), a vine-like plant in shady damp places around our parks and green spaces. It has clusters of small purple and yellow flowers.

This non-native plant has a mild foul odor and is somewhat toxic to humans, especially children. The unripe berries (green color) are the most poisonous, followed by the ripe (red color) berries. The name, dulcamara, refers to the initial bitterness of the berries, followed by strong sweetness. Although toxic, the plant has historically been used to treat skin abrasions.

Note that this plant is related to Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna) which is extremely toxic; both are in the Solanaceae family. 

We spotted these nightshades growing at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on the Bobcat Trail. (6/18/2013)

Tansy Ragwort

If you've ever lived in a rural area, you've probably heard farmers and ranchers gripe about Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). The griping is for good reason: it's a toxic, invasive species, with a cluster of attractive yellow flowers on top. It grows up to 6 feet tall and spreads easily by thousands of wind borne seeds. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Tansy seems to be spreading now in a cycle of increased growth. Even on our small rural property, we have noticed hundreds of them (6/26/2013).

The alkaloid toxins in all parts of the plant are lethal to most livestock and can cause liver damage in humans as well, through milk from animals that have fed on it. Even honey from bees in contact with Tansy pollen can cause problems for us.

Fortunately there are a few natural ways to curtail their growth. One method, shown below, is to let the cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) have its way with the flowers. The caterpillars of this moth (shown below) have a voracious appetite for Tansy. We've see hundreds of these just in the past two weeks and we are doing everything we can to cheer them on! They eat the leaves and flowers, thus preventing them from going to seed. My heroes! The ragwort flea beetle also helps by feeding on the roots. Not sure if we have any of those in our army yet!

Tansy Ragwort is similar looking to several other yellow, daisy-like plants now blooming. Not the odd configuration of the leaves for full identification. However, I have noticed Tansy Ragwort along roads and open spaces in town. If you see any in your yard, put on some gloves and cut it off at the base before it goes to seed!

Lower Table Rock, June 2013

My journey to Southern Oregon covered several habitats: The Upper and Lower Table Rocks near Medford, the subalpine area near Diamond Lake, and several other locales in between. This time of year can be hot and dry in this part of the state, but recent cool weather and rain seemed to have delayed some of the wildflower blooming.

At the lower elevations the grasses were dry and all of the Spring wildflowers were gone, but the Summer crop was getting started. At the higher elevations, the first wave of blooming was just starting, so I had plenty of subject matter!

The first day (6/10/2013) in the area was 70 and partly cloudy and it warmed up from there. On the fourth day it was 85 and sunny.

On 6/11/2013, I spent the day at Lower Table Rock, hiking and searching for wildflowers and geocaches. It was a nice cool day, about 72, and partly cloudy, so ideal for what I was doing!

Here are some of the wildflowers I saw and identified at Lower Table Rock:

Northwest Balsamroot - Balsamorhiza deltoidia

Oregon Sunshine - Eriophyllum lanatum,



Harvest Brodiaea - Brodiaea elegans

 

Heart-leaf Buckwheat - Erigonum compositum

(Detail above)

 

 

Fitch Spikeweed - Hemizonia fitchii

 

 

Farewell to Spring - Clarkia purpurea

 

 

Manzanita, one of eight species in Southern Oregon

 

Coyote Mint - Monardella odorratissima

 

 

Indian Paintbrush (one of several area species) - probably Castilleja pruinosa

 

The Natives are Restless

One of the enjoyable aspects of my "amateur botanist" hobby is learning about our native plants. When so many of the summer blooms seem to be what we usually call "weeds," it's refreshing to find the true natives. Oregon has over 4000 native species of wildflowers and plants, so I have a ways to go. Or I could view it as a never ending hobby!

And of course some of our native plants and animals are threatened or endangered. In the blog, I will try to note this whenever possible.

A few days ago (6/20/2013), while on a short trip to Southern Oregon, I had the opportunity to search for a rare threatened one, the Dwarf Wooly Meadowfoam (Limnanthes floccosa ssp. pumila). It's a small plant with a cream-colored flower seen below. It apparently grows only on the Upper and Lower Table Rocks, near Medford. I did not really expect to find one this time, as they bloom in March and April but had fun looking around anyway.

For more information about this threatened plant, visit: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/CONSERVATION/pages/profile_liflpu.aspx

Photo by Stephen Meyers

The Upper and Lower Table Rocks are wonderful places to hike and enjoy a unique natural environment. They are owned/managed by the BLM and The Nature Conservancy. For more information, visit: http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/tablerock/index.php  and  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_and_Lower_Table_Rock

Here are a few selected photos from my day on Lower Table Rock:

Start of 1.75 mile hike to top.

The trail winds through a memorable Madrone and White Pine forest.

The andecite rocks on the table top. The area on top is huge. I put in another couple of miles walking around on top and did not even get to one side!

Dried grass and blooming Clarkia everywhere!

View of Upper Table Rock from east side of Lower. Rogue River is nearby, hence the irrigated land.

Showy Tarweed

The aptly named Showy Tarweed (Madia elegans) is a member of the Asteraceae family, which is a very large tribe that includes Asters, Daisies, and Sunflowers. Needless to say, with over 23,000 verified species, it would be hard to stand out in this crowd! However, the Showy Tarweed is quite attractive and these were blooming at Jackson Bottom Wetlands (6/18/2013). It is native to North America.

Its fruits are achenes (simple dry fruit) which were historically used as food by Native Americans, including the Pomo and Miwok, who baked them or ground them into flour. The foliage exudes a fragrant oil, hence the common name.

American Water Plantain

Here's a plant name that puzzles me. I'm a real fan of fresh-fried plantains and also plantain chips. But this plant has no relationship to those fruits! The world of wildflower common names is so strange!

Yet, the American Water Plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica) is widespread, growing in almost every state. I spotted these at the Jackson Bottom Wetlands, which is a perfect growing area. The tiny white flowers on long stems are attractive and the large green leaves near the ground look exotic.

According to the USDA plant database, waterfowl and upland birds readily consume the seed of this broadleaf species, but the roots have not been observed to be eaten. Although another source says the bulb-like base of several species of Alisma was dried and eaten by Native Americans.

This plant is native to North America. 6/18/2013.

Oregon Checker Mallow

When I saw this plant blooming at Jackson Bottom Wetlands the other day, I thought to myself, "that's got to be related to hollyhock." Turns out one of the other common names for it is Marsh Hollyhock! It's also known as Oregon Sidalcea and Oregon Checkerbloom. The Oregon Checker Mallow (Sidalcea oregano) is native, and grows along streams and other wet areas, from 2 - 4 feet high. It is indeed related to the garden hollyhocks, as they are both in the Mallow (Malvaceae) family. This one was at the North end of the wetlands, near the viewing deck. (6/18/2013).

In researching this plant, I learned there are several native checker mallows or checkerblooms listed in various sources. The Nelson's Checkerbloom (Sidalcea nelsoniana) is a rare, threatened species that looks almost identical to the more common Oregon Checker Mallow. In fact, these mallows can hybridize, so it can be very difficult to completely identify. For more information, visit: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/CONSERVATION/pages/profile_sine.aspx

Note the wind anchor at bottom left!

Note unique leaves.

Curly Dock

Out of coffee? Grab some dried and roasted Curly Dock seeds and you are good to go! Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) is in the Buckwheat family and  has a unique look, with its thin stalks and hundreds of tiny reddish-brown blossoms that continue all summer, through October. The Broadleaf Dock is very similar, but with more oval shaped leaves.

One website listed the Curly Dock leaves as being edible, before flowering. Other references state that a poultice of the roots has been used to treat iron-deficiency anemia for centuries. It's also a blood purifier and liver decongestant because the poultice stimulates the liver to produce bile. It remedies constipation while strengthening the colon, was employed to treat syphilis, and the powered roots were used as a tooth powder.
The "dock" part of the name means to cut off, so some botanists think it came from cutting off these persistent weeds. Curiously, there is a street named after this weed in Black Butte, Central Oregon!

We found small clusters of it at Jackson Bottom Wetlands, along the North Bobcat Trail. 6-18-2013.

Curly Dock with Birdsfoot Trefoil

A tree swallow watches me work!

Oregon Wild Cucumber

Now here's a native wildflower with something different: cucumbers! The Oregon Wild Cucumber (Marah oreganus) is also called Manroot, Costal Manroot, and Oregon Bigroot among others! The leaves are about 7 inches wide the plant is basically a vine that grabs onto what it can. Those paper white blossoms do turn into the pickle shaped cucumbers, with lots of hairs. It grows quickly on the coast and near damp areas with good soil.

According to Wikipedia, most of the plant was used by Native Americans for a variety of medicinal purposes: for example the Salish used it to treat kidney problems, venereal disease, and day to day sores.

We spotted this vine on the forest bike path at Champoeg State Park on 6/15/2013.

Stinging Nettle

You can't forget this plain looking plant if you have the misfortune of touching the leaves or stems. The very aptly named Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) thrives in moist areas along streams, in thickets, and can quickly take over an open area like the road shown below. The tiny blossoms are non-descript, greenish blobs. The stinging comes from formic acid in the tiny hairs that penetrate the skin and break. The burning sensation is almost immediate and can last 24 hours (and yes, I know this from personal experience!).

This forest of nettles is located along the bike trail that goes from the east end of Champoeg State Park up to the Butteville store. Bikers beware! (6/15/2013). I scanned several web sites for nettle treatment. This one had several choices and made me want to pack baking soda for my next hike: http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Sting-from-a-Stinging-Nettle

The origin of this plant is unknown, although Eurasia is likely.

Field Morning Glory

As I described in an earlier post, there are many Morning Glory variations throughout the world. The Field Morning Glory (Convolvulus arvensis) is a ground cover vine with smaller flowers (about 1 inch diameter). The flowers are as attractive as any Morning Glory and vary from white to light violet. This native of Europe is considered invasive in many areas. We saw these in several locations at Jackson Bottom Wetlands. (6/10/2013).

Related Post: Hedge Bindweed

Hedge Bindweed

The familiar Morning Glory flower and vine seems popular with painters, photographers, and illustrators around the world. Think how many children's books have morning glory artwork! There are over 1000 species of plants that have the common name, which may explain its popularity! The Hedge Bindweed (Convolvulus sepium) is white and has large heart shaped leaves. I found these blooming along the Tualatin River at Jackson Bottom. Each bloom is about 2.5 inches across. (6/10/2013)

One factoid: Morning Glory seeds were used in China as a laxative and then introduced in Japan in the 9th century. More info about the plant in general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_glory.