On the Stony Lake Loop
We hiked in the Upper Grasslands in the Lac du Bois Nature Conservancy in early September after a dry summer. Most flowering plants were setting seed or had died back until next spring, but a few late varieties were spotted along the route.
Chicory lined the trail. The stems and leaves were going brown and withering, but a few flowers were still emerging. We spotted one plant with white flowers too.
Western Snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) was abundant on low shrubs in the grassland hills. Interior First Nations people called them “ghost berries” or “corpse berries”. They are an important food for birds in winter.
A variety of plants were spotted and photographed and shared here. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
White prairie aster (Aster ericoides ssp.) had many flowers on low-growing stalks. These perennials grow from short rhizomes.
In such a dry year, the rabbit-brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) seemed stunted and less colorful, but is always a welcome sight.
And a video from hiking this area: