Every year near the end of May we drive west to witness local bitterroot (Lewisia redviva) in bloom. It can be found at various locations between Cache Creek and Spences Bridge, usually above the highway in the hills on southwest-facing … Continue reading →
We hiked on the Greenstone Mountain Trails on a hot and smoky morning. The route was across the grassland – open forest zone, through a burn area, then through the forest. Along the way we stopped to enjoy some of … Continue reading →
We hiked Helliwell Provincial Park on Hornby Island at the end of April and enjoyed the park and the many wildflowers of spring. One of the plants that was in flower was slender toothwort (Cardamine nutiallii). It is a … Continue reading →
Over several hikes in the Lac du Bois grasslands we have stopped to admire emerging wildflowers. Featured here are shooting stars (Dodecathoen pulchellum sp.), sagebrush buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus), and western saxifrage (Micranthes occidentalis). All photos by the author. Click an … Continue reading →
Boyle Park is located at the south end of Denman Island. We hiked most of the trails, through the forest, past marsh lands, and out to the rocky seashore. Along the way we spotted many birds and perennial (and annual) … Continue reading →
Wildflowers were blooming Just off the side of the road, some of them seldom seen at this elevation in our region. The star of the display was yellow glacier lily (Erythronium grandiflorum). All photos by the author on an April … Continue reading →
With colder nights and little seasonal precipitation, the arrival of wildflowers had a slow start in 2023. We had seen the first sagebrush buttercups (Ranunculus glaberrimus) by about March 20th (there were earlier sightings by other people). They have continued … Continue reading →
Bracted lousewort (Pedicularis bracteosa sp.) is a perennial in the Orobanchaceae (broomrape) family. Unbranched stalks grow up to 1m from coarse and fibrous roots. Alternate fern-like leaves with toothed edges emerge on flowering stems. Beaked and complex yellow-red-purple complex … Continue reading →
After a long winter we look forward to the first signs of spring. South-facing slopes and benchlands dry off and warm up first and we may see buds forming on shrubs and the first wildflowers. The first sighting of sage … Continue reading →
Northern gentian (Gentianella amarella sp.) is an annual or biennial in the harebell family. Stems grow from taproots (10 – 40 cm tall). Basal leaves are usually elliptical – lanceolate shaped. Pairs of green-purple lanceloate leaves are spaced on the … Continue reading →
Rabbit-brush is a grasslands shrub that grows up to 1 meter high. Common rabbit-brush (Ericameria nauseosus) is a perennial shrub with multiple woody stems. The stems are “woolly”, covered with hairs. Leaves are threadlike, long, and covered in dense grey … Continue reading →
Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnafolia) is a deciduous shrub that can grow to the size of a small multi-stemmed tree. Slender, smooth reddish-brown stems grow from stolons or rhizomes. Alternate leaves vary from round to elliptical with rounded ends, with saw-toothed edges. … Continue reading →
