Boojums
Fouquieria columnaris (the boojum tree) is a unique tree-like member of the ocotillo family. It can grow to 20m. Trunks can be up to 24 cm thick. Branches stick out at right angles and they have small deciduous leaves. … Continue reading →
Ocotillo
In the Tuscon area, there are many cactus, succulents, thorny shrubs, thorny trees, and a few plants that just don’t seem to fit anywhere, like ocotillo (fouquieria splendens). It grows to 20 feet high, with long straight canes and few … Continue reading →
Wildflowers and Fossils of Gingko State Park
We visited Gingko State Park in spring and hiked the trails, taking photos along the way. Some of those are shared here: The desert-lands of Central Washington are a rewarding area to hike in spring and we are planning a … Continue reading →
Evening Primrose
Although we have come across evening primrose in the southwest desert lands, we only spot it low-elevation, dry, south-facing locations in the Thompson River Valley. Oenothera villosa is a perennial (or biennial) herb that grows from a thick taproot. … Continue reading →
Asparagus
Wild asparagus is the same plant that we think of as garden asparagus. Over centuries it has spread across the continent, growing in areas that meet the right conditions (damp soil, full sun, slightly alkaline). It sends up spears in … Continue reading →
Ballhead Waterleaf
We have hiked into subalpine meadows in the southern part of our region at the right time on a few occasions and have found ballhead waterleaf in bloom. Hydrophyllum capitatum is a perennial in the waterleaf family. The roots … Continue reading →
Coralroots
We have spotted striped coralroot, spotted coralroot, and yellow coralroot in the forest, often in large clumps. With no green parts, they are easy to identify as coralroots , although it can be more diffucult to decide which one it … Continue reading →
Broom Fork-Moss
Broom fork-moss (Dicranum scoparium) is a very common species of moss that is widespread in BC from low-elevation forests to alpine areas. It is one of the most common mosses encountered in the forests around Kamloops. It forms relatively dense … Continue reading →
Death Camas
All photos were all taken by the author. All other information is provided through quotes from professional sources, with citations provided. “Deathcamas is one of the first plants to begin growth in the early spring. In the foothills, deathcamas generally … Continue reading →
Mountain Pincushion
Mountain pincushion (Dicranoweisia crispula) is a very common moss usually found at higher elevations as small round cushions on boulders. When dry, the leaves are twisted and contorted. Mountain pincushion is very similar to the other species “Common Pincushion” that … Continue reading →
On Embleton Mountain
Some wildflower images from a hike on Embleton Mountain in July are shared here in an image viewer. Can you identify all 5 of them? Click an image for the answer to each.
Continue reading →Moon-leaved Pincerwort
Moon-leaved pincerwort (Cephalozia lunulifola) is a common leafy liverwort that is found on well-decayed logs in the forest. It is a tiny plant that is about 1 mm wide that appears as green fuzz on well-decayed wood often near the … Continue reading →