Pearly Everlasting

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) is often used in dried bouquets by florists and home hobbyists as well. There are over 100 species in this genus, but this is the only one that is native to North America. This plant was used extensively by Native Americans for a variety of medicinal purposes.

For me, the more interesting note about Pearly Everlasting is that the flower is actually the small yellow center of the blossom; the white petals are actually bracts. This is the part of the flower that remains white, even when dried! Who knew?!

Pearly everlasting has a rich cultural history with the Native Americans of our area: pillows and mattresses were stuffed with the hardy flowers; an infusion of the entire plant was used to wash wounds and the flowers were also used to make a tea for asthma.

We found these at the Cooper Mountain Nature Park on 7/16/2013.

Lance Self Heal

With a common name like this, I had to learn more about Lance Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris). It turns out the common name is well-deserved, as this native member of the Mint family is edible and is used for a variety of medicinal purposes! It's also called Heal All.

According to the USDA Plant Database, Self-Heal grows in every state. Their page goes on to say that it was used medicinally by many North American tribes, giving rise to the common names used today. The Quileute, Quinault, and Coast Salish in the Pacific Northwest rubbed the juice from the plant on boils to heal them. The Delaware, Mohegan and Iroquois made a drink or body wash of plant tops to reduce fevers. The Nuxalk boiled the entire plant to make a weak tea that was taken for the heart. Studies have shown that P. vulgaris has antibiotic properties, lowers blood pressure, and contains a compound (ursolic acid) that is believed to increase urination and fight tumors. It is still used as a medicinal herb today, but plants are known to concentrate lead compounds and other pollutants, so they should not be gathered from roadsides.

It can be used as an ornamental ground cover and mowed like grass! The odd looking flowers grow from a thick crown about one inch tall, as seen below. I've seen these plants growing in almost every local park this year. These were spotted at the Cooper Mountain Nature Park. 7/16/2013.

 

Road Warriors

Laurelview Road with Queen Anne's Lace



If you drive around rural Washington County, or ride your bike, or even just walk on any road, you are bound to see most of the plants and wildflowers on this post. You may not want to see these hardy survivors in your yard, but out in the country they have a certain natural beauty! Roads create ideal open spaces for sun loving natives and invaders alike to take root and spread like there is no tomorrow!

For several months in the Spring, I curse the pollen from grasses and trees that make me sneeze and blur my vision with watery eyes. But around the end of May, as those pesty plants give way to colorful blossoms, I perk up and pull out the camera!

Here are a few of my favorite road warriors blooming now (July 1 - 15):



Common Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus)

This non-native roadside plant is easy to spot because it can reach 6 feet in height and somewhat resembles a saguaro cactus in profile! The soft, hairy leaves are large as well and look artificial when they first start growing. The small yellow blossoms appear on long stems. The plant has a long list of herbal uses according to Wikipedia.

 



 





 

  

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus tingitanus)

The striking pink and purple colors of these blossoms are a nice addition to most weedy roads. These Legumes are blooming in our area now (7/12/2013). The Sweet Pea has escaped cultivation and established itself as a regular sight, but is not considered invasive, but can be toxic. This plant has been extensively cultivated and cross bred over the years.

 

Teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris)

You may have seen dried teasel in flower arrangements or seen them growing in huge colonies in marshy areas. The stately, tall stems are very thorny and crowned with a regal looking seed pod. It's a bit of an oddball, biennial. The first year it is your basic leafy weed. The second year produces the single, erect stem that we recognize. I had not see it in bloom for many years, but we caught it this year at Fanno Creek Park (7/12/2013).

 

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)

On one of our first hikes near Mt. Hood about 30 years ago (yikes!) we encountered Fireweed and were taken with its color and hardiness. The plant seems to thrive in recently burned forest areas, hence the common name. After the Mt. Saint Helens eruption in 1980, it was one of the first plants to sprout. It can even grow in areas after an oil spill, so it is frequently used to re-establish vegetation.  Parts of the young plant and roots are edible, and have been collected by Native Americans. In the past couple of weeks I have seen Fireweed growing on our gravel road!

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

If you are wearing shorts and bump into one of these noxious weeds you'll remember it! This plant is loaded with sharp thorns on almost every part; yet it's a proud member of the Sunflower (Asteraceae) family! It's classified as invasive in Oregon. It does have a handsome flower that is loaded with nectar, thereby attracting bees, butterflies, and hummers. When I took the photos below (7/14/2013), there were several dozen bees buzzing around! Later, the seeds are a favorite of our local goldfinches. As you probably know already, the seeds are numerous and drift away easily with wind, spreading their range even more!

 

 



Silver Star Mountain

Silver Star Mountain Summit with Mt. Saint Helens to the right in the clouds.
American Bistort - Polygonum bistortoides in the foreground.

We had many reports that one of the best spots for summer wildflowers is Silver Star Mountain in southwestern Washington. I had also heard this was a stellar hike last year when chatting with fellow climbers on the Mt. Saint Helens climb. So last Sunday (7/07/2013), we packed up or day hike gear, cameras, and headed over the bridge.

It takes a bit more than two hours to get to the trailhead in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. At 5 miles, it's the perfect day hike for people like me who like to stop frequently to take in the natural lay of the land, and take wildflower pictures. It starts out at 2950 feet and gains 1440 in the 2.5 miles up.

The hike was jaw-dropping in terms of scenery and flora. I took about 250 pictures, of which you'll see a few below. Most of the hike is in a subalpine environment, so there were many blooms we had not seen recently.

A marine layer cloud cover greeted us at the as we began the hike, but started to burn off about 30 minutes into our five hour trek. All in all it was a great day and we place this hike in our top 5 for sure!

If you are thinking about going to Silver Star, get precise directions from a recent guidebook as the roads to the trailhead are challenging . We used an excellent one: "Day Hiking - Columbia River Gorge" by Craig Romano.

Here are some of the noteworthy blooms we found on the hike. I'll add more as time allows!

Cow Parsnip - Heracleum maximum

Harsh Paintbrush - Castilleja hispida

Bear Grass - Xerophyllum tenax

Bunchberry - Cornus canadensis

Subalpine Mariposa Lily - Calochortus subalpinus

Avalanch Lily - Erythronium montanum

Oregon Iris - Iris Tenax

Mountain Thermopsis - Thermopsis gracilis

Oregon Sunshine - Eriophyllum lanatum

Common Harebell - Campanula rotundifolia

Nuttal's Larkspur - Delphinium nuttallii

Oregon Swallowtail on Gray's Lovage- Ligusticum grayi

Queen's Cup - Quintonia uniflora

Goat's Beard - Aruncus dioicus

Subalpine Spiraea - Spiraea splendens

Typical view on the trail. White ones are Gray's Lovage - Ligusticum grayi

Columbia Lewisa - Louisia columbiana

Sitka Valerian - Valeriana sitchenis

Sitka Valerian close up.

Penstemon - there are about 46 species of Penstemon in OR and WA. This
is probably Cliff Penstemon - Penstemon rupicola.

Bear Grass

On our recent hiking trip to Silver Star Mountain in Washington, the Bear Grass (Xerophyllum tenax) was the "star" of the wildflower show! From the clearing at the trailhead (2950 ft), to the summit (4390 ft), the flowering Bear Grass was on display from just starting to bloom to full bloom. It was quite a sight! The other flowers were exceptional as well, but these are so unusual looking, they really got our attention! (7/7/2013). Other common names are Squaw Grass, Elk Grass, Turkey Beard, Bear Lily, and Pink Lily.

In June of 1806, Meriwether Lewis collected a sample of blooming Bear Grass in the Bitterroot Mountains. Lewis and Clark had seen it before, without the blooms, along the way. Native Americans were seen with loads of the grassy leaves in their canoes to be used in trade. Later, in Ft. Clatsop, Lewis and Clark learned that the conical hats worn by tribes in that area were made of the Bear Grass leaves. They were both impressed and made note of these hats in their journals. They also purchased quiet a number of the hats to wear!

The Bear Grass roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds provide food for many animals throughout the year. Mountain goats eat the tough, dry leaves in winter; bears eat the tender shoots in spring. Bear Grass does not bloom every year, and up to 10 years may elapse between blooms.

Bear Grass is native to the Northwest and is an important park of "fire ecology." Its rhizomes survive the fires and is often the first plant to bloom after a fire.

Subalpine Mariposa Lily

This fine looking wildflower is native to and grows only in Oregon and Washington! The Subalpine Mariposa Lily (Calochortus subalpinus) is one of about 70 members of the Calochortus genus. They are spread out over much of the west, but nearly 28 are found only in California and one is the Utah state flower.

As members of the Lily (Lilacaea) family, these plants grow from bulbs and generally bloom in late Spring and early Summer. Many of the Mariposa lilies are rare or threatened by development and loss of habitat.

We spotted about two dozen of the Subalpine Mariposas on Ed's trail, on the way up to Silver Star Mountain in southwestern Washington. Elevation was probably about 3400 feet. (7/7/2013). In some of the guides it was called Cascade Mariposa Lily and Cat's Ear.

Queen Anne's Lace

Another summer favorite of mine, Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carrota), grows in fields, meadows, along roads and in other disturbed areas. We have hundreds blooming now (7/06/2013) on our road and fields. It's considered a weed here, but in its native Europe it is regarded beneficial because it attracts pollinators for nearby crops.

Why is it called Queen Anne's Lace? Turns out, there are many legends about the common name, several involving real queens who were adept at making lace (unlikely IMO). Here's a rundown of some of the folklore: http://lace.lacefairy.com/Lace/Fun/QueenAnnsLace.html

Queen Anne's Lace is also called Wild Carrot. There is also an American Wild Carrot (D. pulsillas), which is shorter and has umbels that are less than one inch across.

When the flower begins to unfold it is pink, as in first photo. It's white when fully opened and often has a central single purple or brown blossom. It is thought that this may help insects navigate around the umbel. These are growing in our yard.

Flower is pink upon initial formation.

The outer umbels open first.



Almost fully opened flowers.

Each plant can produce one large cluster and several smaller ones.