Winter Break

Jackson Bottom Wetlands

As our dedicated staff here at wildflower blog central heads out for winter break, here's wishing all of you the best for the holiday season and beyond. It's the time of year when we empty out our suggestion box, brew lots of hot coffee, clean our cameras, make file backups, and most importantly, start planning for next season!

Wetland Trail

Not to worry though, with the backlog here at blog central, the posting will continue until extreme cabin fever sets in. Like many renowned institutions, we encourage our staff to make the most of the time off to learn more about related fields, such as botany, art, geology, and photography. Or there's always disco dancing lessons or perhaps yodeling for fun and profit with your Austrian pinscher. Whatever enrichment we embark on, you can be sure we'll be back, rested and recharged.

And now, to close out the year, here's our 2016 list of oddly named plants/flowers.

Hooded Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana). Native to the Northwest. I suppose if you use a great deal of imagination and add couple of stiff drinks, this flower may look like its namesake long braided hair, from a distance. The flowers can be up to 18 in. tall.

We had not seen this uncommon member of the orchid family before this summer. Found a few growing in some clearings up on the Wilson River trail in the coast range. At left, it is seen by a wilting Evening Primrose.

     

Twiggy Wreath Plant (Stephanomeria virgata) is also called Tall Stephanomeria or Rod Wirelettuce. There were a few of these growing in the scorching hot July climate at Smith Rock State Park, north of Redmond. The batch on the left is about the size of a laundry basket. The flowers are about the size of a quarter. The slender stems are indeed twiggy and it's easy to imagine how a wreath could be made from these dried parts.

     

This Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) Aug. also known as Bouncing Betty is a native plant seen at Champoeg State Park in August along the river trail. This plant name actually makes some sense because the leaves and stems release a soap-like liquid when bruised. Pioneers used it from New England to the west as a cleaning agent. A folk tale says a traveler named Betty would leave her soapwort plants wherever she camped as a token of thanks, hence the Bouncing Betty name.

     

The term "wort" is common in plant names and generally means a plant that is an edible herb or has some medicinal value. For those of us who are home ale brewers, "wort" refers to the liquid concoction of malt and grains that is cooked before fermentation. At some point these two definitions must have intersected - and there's probably a good history novel in there somewhere!

The diminutive and unassuming Oaks Toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii), makes a subtle entrance in early spring, just when the bloom season is starting. This native likes dry, semi-shaded slopes, near Garry oak trees as its name implies. Its small blooms and short stature make it easy to miss if you are not looking at the ground! These were spotted near Rowena in March.

And finally, another native favorite of ours, Forktooth Ookow (Dichelostemma congestum) can be seen locally in sunny grasslands by early summer. Its elegant cluster of blooms stands about 18 inches above ground, accounting for its other name: Ball Head Cluster Lily, formerly Brodiaea congesta. Ookow is a native American term that refers to this plant, but its meaning is unclear.

With that said, have a good winter and try to enjoy some cold weather outings; or, head south for warmth as well as a good dose of solar infusion!