Sullivan Valley Wildflowers
After paddling on Sullivan (Knouff) Lake, I drove down the Vinsula – Knouff Lake Road, stopping along the way to enjoy the wildflowers. I have done this for a number of years, so I know where to stop to observe and photograph various flowers.
In the Sullivan Valley north of Lyons Lake was a patch of flowering wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). It is a perennial that grows from rhizomes, growing to 30 – 70 cm. It is spotted from this area up to the Barriere Lakes in mid-elevation open areas. The bergamot that appears in the area has a showy pink-mauve terminal cluster. Click an image for a lightbox view.
A short way west near the junction of the Lyons Lake Road is another cluster of yellow evening – primrose (Oenothera villosa). It is found in dry open areas at mid-elevations.
In the upper meadows I stopped to photograph some Dianthus deltoides. This is normally a cultivar, but in a grassy glade it is well-established on a northwest facing slope.
Along the way were choke cherries (Prunus virginiana), white clematis (Clematis lingusticifolia), showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare sp.), chicory (Cichorium intybus), pink clover (Tritolium pratense), wild rose (Rosa sp.), and catchfly (Silene sp. ). Many of these are weedy in appearance, but have beauty and engaging forms close-up.
The images were captured in click-and-move-on fashion. To identify specific species for some of these requires greater examination of leaves and other details. The main goal, though, was to get a sharp photo in the flowering period and to identify the flowers, where possible.
More Information:
- Showy milkweed
- Evening Primrose
- Chicory
- more to be added over the winter