Columbia Gorge - Rowena

The Columbia River Gorge is a great destination for just about any outdoor activity. For us retired wildflower photographer types it's an 80-mile long garden of opportunity, with five different bio-regions and ecosystems: rain forest on the west end and dry grasslands in the east. Huge ice flows and water carved out the Gorge during the Missoula Floods about 14,000 years ago. Today, the diverse and prolific flora living in the Gorge seems to change weekly and if we lived just a bit closer, I would probably be out there every day with camera in hand!

About six weeks ago I visited two prime flower locations and captured a host of new blooms (see March Madness). We returned to the same location on April 29th to find a whole new batch of bloomers. The grass is green now, balsamroot is everywhere, and the poison oak is showing its nasty face again! We spent an hour or so wandering around the Rowena Plateau on a beautiful, warm, Thursday; even so, there were about a half-dozen other photographers out there as well.

Poison Oak Emerges

In about a month or so, Rowena will be dry and dormant until next Spring, so we'll plan one more visit in a few weeks.

Here's a rundown of what we saw this time. All of them are native to the west or northwest, except the last one!

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)

These beauties are what I call "calendar flowers" because they always seem to be in those freebie Oregon real estate calendars. It's no wonder, as they are impressive, alone or covering entire hillsides. The name comes from the balsam smell of the roots. Native peoples in the area collected the roots for medicinal use.

Columbia Gorge Broadleaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus)

We found quite a few of these at Rowena, blending nicely with the Balsamroot. There are three variations of Broadleaf Lupine in the Gorge, making 100% identification a challenge!

Bicolored Cluster Lily (Brodiaea howellii)

First collected by botanist Archibald Menzies in 1792, these cover the western slopes of Rowena. They seemingly have no leaves and grow about 8 inches off the ground. The naming of Brodiaea have a colorful past in botanical circles. Some species have been cultivated for backyard garden use. More Information.

Pungent Desert Parsley (Lomatium grayi)

There are a number of different "desert parsley" plants growing in the Gorge. We saw quite a few of this one at Rowena, in the rocks and ground. They do indeed have a strong smell if you rub the leaves.

Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio oregonius)

Ok, it's not a flower, but it is a native; this guy was sunning himself right on the trail, so I had to capture it. After that I shooed him away so he would not get squished!

Big Root (Marah organus)

Also called Man Root and Wild Cucumber, this native vine looks out of place here. It grows along the ground and has small star-shaped white flowers that are covered with tiny hairs. Don't be putting these cukes in your salad though, the fruit is inedible.

Small Flowered Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii)

The flowers on this Borage are indeed small, at about 1/4 inch. We barely noticed them growing among the large balsamroot. The leaves and seeds are very toxic to cattle so ranchers want to eliminate these from rangelands. The common name comes from the curved stems on some of the species (not this one however!).

Large Flowered Cryptantha (Cryptantha intermedia)

We found just a few of this member of the Borage family today. The ID is not 100% as there are at least three very similar variations of Cryptantha growing in this area of the Gorge. The flowers are about 1/3 inch wide, so not so "large."

Dove's Foot Geranium (Geranium molle)

We've seen this non-native throughout the area and in our local parks and even along our road. It's prolific to say the least. The flowers are about 1/4 to 1/3 inch wide.

Links:

Columbia River Gorge Overview

Oregon Swallowtail

Forget-Me-Not

Of the many blooms appearing this time of year, Forget-Me-Not certainly deserves its own post! One can spin many meanings from this popular flower with an "unforgettable" name. It was a fun one to research as well, because there are many, many references out there on the web. The small blue flowers with a bright gold center are indeed memorable, especially in large colonies like the ones we found at Jenkins Estate. There are about 200 species in the Myosotis genus and 50 that could be called Forget-Me-Not, most of them not native to the Northwest.

The non-native Myosotis sylvatica at Jenkins Estate - 4/25/2014

There are books, movies, poems, and songs with the Forget-Me-Not title, so the name seems almost essential to our human nature, so to speak. It is the state flower of Alaska, has been adopted as the symbol for the Canadian Alzheimer's Society, the Canadian causalities of wars, and as a Freemason symbol to not forget the poor and destitute. Henry IV even used it after he was exiled in 1398!

In looking for the source of the common name, there seemed to be a general similarity of idealistic stories that went something like this:

In 15th-century Germany, it was said that those who kept or wore the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a batch of the yet to be named flowers, but because of the weight of his armor he fell into the river. As he was swept away he shouted "forget-me-not" to his lady. Over time, the flowers were often worn by women as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love.

There are numerous floral shops all over the country listed on the web with the name Forget-Me-Not. Kind of a clever name... And finally, I spent a few minutes on a poetry website that has hundreds of poems on this theme, such as this recent one with a unique twist by Kelly Lutz:

Forget Me (not?) 

Forgetful little flower
Only learned to follow
But never to follow through
With the little things
Like her dreams
He loves me, he loves me not
Was all she could think about

Myosotis sylvatica blooms are about 1/2 to 5/8 in. wide.

One of our native species is the Small-Flowered Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis laxa), which has VERY small flowers of 1/8 in. or smaller! These flowers emerge yellow, and then turn blue. We actually found some of these growing in our backyard in a gravel pathway!

Small-Flowered-Forget-Me-Not.

Note the Cleaver in foreground, not yet blooming.

Fiddleneck type of stem with numerous flowers.

Links:

Hello Poetry Website

Native Spring Favorites

As the weather has cooperated, I've been out on the local trails looking for new blooms every few days. It's not because I've become OCD about capturing every flower (really!); but rather I'm trying out my new flower camera/lens: Olympus OMD EM5. That is, getting used to the feel of it and trying out the best ways to get the results I want. So far, with the special macro lens I'm using, it has worked well. There is still much to learn however, so hopefully by summer I'll have it down.

Meanwhile, there are so many flowers blooming out every week, I'm falling behind in my "research." Probably won't get a raise this year! LOL.

So in the mean time, here's another pot luck of woodland and near-woodland blooms. I hope to get out to the eastern Gorge soon for some non-woodland exposures!

Oregon Oxalis (Oxalis oregana)

Who has not seen these familiar "shamrocks" along our shady, damp trails. The leaves form a dense ground cover and the pinkish flowers have delicate purple lines with yellow end spots to guide the insects into the "pay dirt." The leaves have a sour taste due to the oxalic acid but can be used in salads.

On Sams Walker Nature Trail - 4/20/2014

Checker Lily (Fritillaria affinis)

Also called Chocolate Lily, these native bulbs were popular foods (boiled or steamed) for our indigenous peoples of the area. They are in the Lily family, so it's not really a woodland plant, but favors well drained meadows at the forest edge. Truly wild colonies of these are now rare in our area due to habitat loss. We found these growing along a semi-sunny trail at Champoeg State Park.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)

This native shrub is common in our area as well as throughout the Northwest, but resembles several others with white flowers. It's a member of the Rose family, and that can be seen in the small toothed leaves. Native Americans collected the fruits and mixed them with venison or buffalo to form pemmican (kind of like meat loaf). The flowers have five petals but grow in clusters on the branches, making the blooming shrub quite showy!

On Bonneville trailhead on WA side - 4/20/2014.

Snow Queen (Synthyris reniformus)

As one of the smallest flowers I've ever captured, I was glad to have that new macro lens. The tiny blossoms are only about 1/8 inch long. They bloom in clusters of eight or so. The leaves resemble viola leaves. This was a new plant to me, so it some time to ID it. This, west-of-Cascades native grows in open conifer forests, especially along the trails, and in grasslands. The name seems to come from the appearance of the blooms as the snow melts, although that does not seem to hold true in the valley or Gorge.

On Bonneville trail on WA side - 4/20/2014.

Oregon Anemone (Anemone oregana)

This showy namesake native flower is not common according to my sources. Although I did find gobs of photos in the cloud. The ones I captured recently were planted in wildflower areas of Hoyt Arboretum and at Jenkins Estate (4/25/2014). They are Ranunculaceae (Buttercup), grow in heavy shade as a ground cover, and have buttercup looking leaves. The flower is about 1.5 inches wide.

Sepals, not petals, surround the stamens.

Fragrant Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)

It would be hard to take a walk in any of the natural wooded trails in our area now and NOT see this unique plant blooming! Fringecup is native to the forests of the Northwest and is a member of the Saxifragaceae family. The Skagit peoples reportedly crushed this plant for an infusion to treat several maladies.

Blooms can emerge pink.

On Sams Walker Nature Trail - 4/20/2014

Space Invaders 2

Usually, there is something to appreciate about nearly every wildflower. Even most weeds have their appeal, if not to humans, then to bees and other insects. Typically, the visual appeal is the draw for us photographers - the colors of the flower itself and the patterns formed at a distance. Although, as a naturalist, one must acknowledge the damage that some invasive weeds can do as they force out native plants. For example, Spotted Knapweed, can quickly wipe out acres of native plants that are food for wild mammals and/or ranch herds.

On a brighter note, the weedy invaders in this post are mostly harmless, but can make quite a visual impact.

English Daisy (Bellis perennis)

If you have a lawn in your yard, you probably have these small daisies popping up as well. In fact, in some areas they are known as Lawn Daisies. The "flower" heads are about the size of a U.S. quarter and stay close to the ground. Many are pink before they open up and then turn white. As with all daisies, the real flowers are the tiny yellow blooms in the center of the head.

Champoeg State Park - 4/07/2014

Field Mustard (Brassica campestris)

The mustard family is huge, with over 3,700 known species. And chances are you have seen several of these, just by taking a road trip to anywhere in spring or summer. The common Field Mustard grows along roads and in disturbed fields, lots, or construction areas. The mustards have adapted very well, becoming widespread. But some species are heavily cultivated to make mustard spices and hot dog condiments!

Field south of Newberg - 4/10/2014

Stork's Bill (Erodium cicutarium)

This year, I've noticed quite a few of these growing near hazelnut orchards here in Washington County. Also called Filaree, these plants are members of the geranium family. As with garden geraniums, the fruits are shaped like a stork's bill and the Latin name does in fact mean "crane." A native of Eurasia, these invaders are prolific and can tolerate dry soil for extended periods.

Swaths of Filaree on Laureview Road - 4/09/2014

Dovefoot Geranium (Geranium molle)

A close relative of the Stork's Bill above, the Dovefoot Geranium grows mostly in slightly shaded areas along roads or park trails. It's also a prolific colonizer and has similar flowers, pink and about 1/3 inch wide.

Dovefoot Geranium on Laurelview Road - 4-21-2014

Ground Ivy (Glecoma hederacea)

Before finding these, I was not familiar with this member of the Mint family. The small, attractive purple flowers resemble Penstemon, but the leaves are definitely mint-like! It can be used as a ground cover in lightly shaded areas, but it is hard to contain. It's also called Creeping Charlie. Early European settlers brought it with them for tea and beer making. It may have medical uses as well. Refer to the Wiki article.

Ground Ivy on the Sams Walker Nature Trail - 4/20/2014

Pacific Dogwood

This time of year there are a host of shrubs and trees blooming out with attractive white flowers. Many are similar in appearance, but when I was a kid, you could ask any third grader to point out our native Pacific Dogwood and they could do it easily. Perhaps not so now. As I searched around the area for blooming dogwoods this week, I found mostly the ornamental ones (pink, and non-native cultivars).

Not a dogwood tree in sight on this street in Hillsboro!

The Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) is native to the Northwest and is similar to the Eastern dogwoods. They are blooming now (4/23/2014) in our area, so are easy to spot due to their unique flower configurations. As seen below, the tiny flowers in the middle cluster are surrounded by 4 to 6 large petal-like white leaves (called bracts). These can be 4 to

5 inches across. The trees grow well under the partial shade of larger conifers. They are very slow-growing and can reach 50 feet.

The common name comes from early use of the hard wood to make skewers or "dags." So "dagwood" eventually became "dogwood" according to several sources. Initially, David Douglas thought this tree was identical to the eastern dogwoods. However, in 1835 Thomas Nutall noticed differences in their floral leaves. Hence the Latin name "nuttallii" for this species. 

My search for true native dogwoods this year was only mildly successful. I did find a few here and there for photos. Most white-flowered dogwoods you see growing in yards are cultivars based on the native tree. They are still very attractive however!

In Fall, the dogwood leaves turn bright red and the fruit is also a reddish brown spike ball, favored by birds through winter.

Noble Woods Park

Along Highway 219, near Farmington Road intersection.
Note the actual blooming flowers in center.

Magnificent old tree on Main Street in Hillsboro.

Oddly placed tree in Laurel

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

If memory serves me correctly, the last time we visited this 500 acre urban natural reserve was about 20 years ago! This is an estimate, but I do remember purchasing the small version of the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book by Eric Carle for Kyle at the Nature Center! Well, they still have a small store in the Nature Center and still sell the same book! The store is operated by the Friends of Tryon Creek (see link below). Likewise, in the park and along the trails, not much else has changed, which is a good thing. Today, we covered about half of the eight mile trail system, with Al-the-Dal and Kyle. The one word that could be used to describe the visit is "green."

Kyle and Al-the-Dal ponder the greenery.

The park is a lush, shady, woodland parcel, with several small creeks and a good mix of up and down on the trails. There are some old growth conifers, but mostly the trees are ancient big leaf maples. The nature center has a good summary of its varied past and how it came to be a park. It was named after the settler Socrates Hotchkiss Tryon Sr., a pioneer settler of European descent, who owned a portion of the present day park (see link below for history).

Typical trail view - the ground is covered with Fendler's Waterleaf.

Our visit (4/18/2014) on a mostly sunny day during the week made for a good experience with no horses and few other hikers, some joggers, and a couple of other dog walkers.

The maples are getting their leaves and in most places the ground is covered with huge swaths of Fendler's Waterleaf, which adds an attractive blanket of green. We saw quite a few western Trillium in their purple stage as well as many blooming Salmonberry near the creeks. The visit was rewarding in several ways: we got exercise, I captured a new wildflower, and we enjoyed the great outdoors!

There are many Salmonberry in the park.

Skunk Cabbage near a creek.

Trillium in purple stage.

A fern tree!

Youth on Age (Tolmiea menziesii) blooming

At the Red Fox bridge.

Links:

Friends of Tryon Creek

State Park Web Page

Tryon Creek Wiki History Page