Western Columbine

This standout flower has several common names: Red Columbine, Sitka Columbine, and Western Columbine. Aquilegia formosa is the only native columbine growing in Oregon. It blooms from late spring through summer at sea level to sub alpine ecosystems. It's probably one of the most well know wildflowers in the west, as it frequently appears in artwork and books. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to its nectar. The Latin word "columbine" means "dove;" some say the flowers resemble tiny inverted doves...  (6/04 and 6/06/2013).

Western Yellow Oxalis

The Western Yellow Oxalis (Oxalis suksdorfii) is native to Oregon and is common in late Spring in our area. It is similar to Oxalis oregano, but the leaves are a bit smaller and the flowers are yellow. These are the only samples I have seen this year, located at the small creek at the bottom of the Cooper Mountain Nature Park. (6/04/2013).

Bachelor Button

Now that we are in summer climate, a whole new parade of colorful flowers are appearing. It seems that many of the spring flowers are white, so bring on the color I say! The Bachelor Button (Centaurea cyanus) is native to Europe and seems to thrive in our local grasslands and open woods that get plenty of sun. These are the first ones I've seen this season, out in the open at the Cooper Mountain Nature Park. Most are blue, but some can be white. They are found in every state except Alaska! (6/04/2013)

Wild Oregon Geranium

Got swollen feet? Well, our indigenous residents used a poultice from the Oregon Geranium (Geranium oreganum) for relief! The guidebooks say it prefers growing in open prairies and oak woodlands west of the Cascades from sea level to higher elevations in Southern Oregon and California. Native Americans also ate the leaves and used the boiled roots as an astringent. We spotted this uncommon, colorful, native plant blooming yesterday at the Cooper Mountain nature park, near the pond at the bottom of the loop trail. The blooms are about the size of a silver dollar. The leaves look very "salad worthy." (6/04/2013)

As a side note, the Dovefoot Geranium (Geranium molle) also grows in Oregon, is much more common but is not native to the area.

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillia millefolium) gets its common name from the Yarrow River in Scotland. It's an aromatic perennial with fern-like leaves. It grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere at most elevations, from Spring to Fall. The flower clusters remind me of a big ice cream cone!

Native costal tribes used the plant for cold and bronchitis relief, as well as an eye wash. We found these white and pink plants growing abundantly at the Cooper Mountain Nature Park, in the open grass slopes. (6/04/2013).

Cooper Mountain Nature Park

Now that the good weather has returned, we like to get our daily walks checked off! For variation, today we drove about 10 miles east of our place, to the Cooper Mountain Nature Park. We had not walked there before, so it was all new to us! It's a Metro property of about 230 acres, with a mix of open meadows, woodlands, and south facing grassland slopes with Oregon white oak and Pacific Madrone. We walked the entire outer loop trail, in addition to a couple of smaller loops, making it about 2.7 miles. Nice place. Saw quite a few song birds, a dozen or so other humans, and lots and lots of poison oak! Needless to say there were plenty of newly blooming wildflowers for me to capture and try to identify. I'll be posting some of those soon!

For more info on this park, visit: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=16016

Visitor Center

 

 

"Nest" sculpture by Christine Bourdette

 

Armenian Blackberry

According to Oregon Noxious Weed Control department, the Armenian Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus),also called Himalaya Blackberry, is the worst invasive species in the state. You have seen these thorny, long draping brambles growing just about everywhere below 5000 feet. The rapidly growing branches seem to gain 6 inches a day when they are located where you can't reach them! Be that as it may, the slightly pinkish flower is attractive and resembles the wild rose flower (the wild blackberry is in the Rosaceac family). It is blooming now (6/02/2013) on our property and elsewhere. The only redeeming thing about this plant is its abundant supply of sweet, edible berries in August and September.

 

For the official information on this plant, see:

http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/Pages/profile_himalayanblackberry.aspx

 

According to Wikipedia there are hundreds of sub species of wild blackberries in the country, and some are not considered invasive. Yet others are cultivated for the fruit industry.

On our fence line, 6/01/2013

Fresh picked on 8/10/2012. Yum!