We hiked trails on the Pender Islands in April. One of the trails we did was on the South Island, up Mt. Norman and then down to the seashore in Beaumont Provincial Marine Park, now part of the Gulf Islands National Park. We enjoyed the mild spring weather on the Gulf Islands, and we also stopped to enjoy the … Continue reading →
Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) is a native vigorous deciduous shrub which grows up to 8 m tall. The trunk is sturdy and has woody branches with stout thorns. Many green oval(ish) toothed leaves appear in spring. Clusters of white (showy) flowers at the ends of thin branches. The individual flowers have 5 rounded petals. After flowering, dark red berry-like … Continue reading →
We stayed on Denman Island in the spring to explore the island, mostly by hiking, walking, kayaking, and exploring. Each day we would stop along the trails and routes to enjoy the spring wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and flowering trees that we encountered in this Pacific Northwest – Gulf Islands climate/ecosystem. Some of the photos shared here include Pacific Trillium (Trillium … Continue reading →
Spineless horsebrush (Tetradymia canescens) is a bushy evergreen shrub in the Asteraceae family. It grows from taproots and woody stems with multiple branches that rise to 40 – 80 cm. Many small lanceolate leaves are woolly or silver-haired in appearance. The inflorescence is grouped into 3-8-headed clusters at the tips of branches. The heads have 4 tubular, yellow flowers. … Continue reading →
We have stayed on Denman Island in spring a couple of times to hiking, kayak, and explore the island. There were many plants emerging from winter dormancy at this time of year, and lots of flowering shrubs and wildflowers to observe. Many photos are taken and a few are shared in this post. Included in this album are photos … Continue reading →
We have spotted one-flowered broomrape (Aphylon uniflorum) on open south-facing damp slopes a couple of times. It is also called one-flowered cancer root and naked broomrape and it is in the Orobanche family. It is a parasitic herb, feeding on stonecrop and other plants. It is short, with a bare stalk and has a purple tube-like flower. We … Continue reading →
Baneberry (Actea rubra) is a multi-branched leafy perennial which grows up to 100 cm. It has a woody stem base and spreads with fibrous roots. It can be found at in mid-elevation damp forests and even up into sub-alpine seep zones. Green toothed and lobed leaves grow on stems. In late spring many small white flowers appear in clusters at … Continue reading →
We hiked trails in the arid scablands of Central Washington in spring. For two weeks, we hiked a different trail each day and camped in several Washington State Parks. There were a variety of habitats varying from grasslands to desert-like terrain, open steppes, wetlands, and open forests. We saw many wildflowers along the way and a few are … Continue reading →
Chocolate lily (Fritillaria affinis sp.) is a perennial lily which grows from a bulb in spring. Many people call it checker lily. Each year the plant produces bulblets which help with propagating the species. An unbranched stem usually has a few whorled leaves which are linear to lanceolate-shaped. Two to five bell-shaped flowers appear in spring. The flower has … Continue reading →
There are three native orchids on the Hawaiian islands, mostly found in higher areas in rain forests, and often in the trees. They are rare and not easy to find. There are many orchids featured in botanical gardens and show gardens from all over the world. There are two orchids, though, that have become endemic/naturalized to the islands … Continue reading →
