Right before the Winter Solstice I hiked a series of trails in the lower end of Peterson Creek Park and stopped to make observations of some of the shrubs, trees, and ferns, and perennials.

A number of berries were spotted – poison ivy (Rhus radicans sp.), barberry (Berberis sp.) , juniper (Juniperus communis), prickly roses (Rosa acicularis), snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia).    All photos by the author.

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poison ivy berries

barberries

Russian olives

juniper berries

rosehips

snowberries

locust bean

poison ivy

Also spotted and photographed were Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifollum), various mosses, white clematis (Clematis lingusticifolia), and a locust bean tree (Gleditsia sp.).

white clematis

moss

sumac

starmoss

moss

Oregon grape

In three and a half months we will start to see emerging spring growth in the canyon…