Soopolallie (Shepherdia canadensis) is a woody deciduous shrub found in open forests. It is sometimes called buffalo berry. It is a nitrogen-fixing plant which grows from a long taproot to a height of 1-3 m. Small opposite leaves are green on top and brownish/light- colored and hairy below. The bark is covered with small scaly patches. Small yellow flowers … Continue reading →
We camped, hiked, kayaked, and explored New Zealand for a month. We completed two of the Great Treks and we visited a number of remote spots. We liked NZ a lot and we hope to return. There were many photos taken, and only a few are shared here, mostly of plants spotted while hiking the trails. Shared here … Continue reading →
Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a low-growing evergreen shrub. It is also known as bearberry. The trailing shrub can form a mat-like expanse over time. The alternate leaves are roughly long-ovals with smooth edges. In sunny weather, the leaves have a “shiny” surface. Clusters of small pink urn-shaped drooping flowers form at the terminal ends of branches. In … Continue reading →
We stayed on the Pender Islands in spring to hike, paddle, and explore. Each hike was a nature hike with lots to see and enjoy. One of the hikes we did was up an informal trail to the top of Spalding Hill. There were some wet areas near the bottom and some open slopes near the top of … Continue reading →
