[Willowherbs and Spike Primroses: The Genus Epilobium East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Rockfringe, Rose Willowherb, Rose Willow-herb

Epilobium obcordatum

The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the flowers and glaucous stem leaves of rose willowherb as seen in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........August 3, 2011.

Photo at right of seed capsules of Epilobium obcordatum from Strawberry Mt, Strawberry Wilderness...........early September 1999.

Characteristics:

Rose willowherb is a pretty, low growing wildflower with spreading stems growing from a stout woody base. Plants are from 10-20 cm tall. The herbage is smooth and glaucous (blue-gray green) with subsessile, ovate leaves ranging from 8-16 mm long.. The margins of the leaves are either entire or slightly serrate.

The petals are rose-colored, obcordate in shape, and 1.5-1.8 cm long. The calyx is about 15 mm long and is glandular-puberulent with narrow lobes. The filaments of the stamens are yellow, nearly equaling the calyx in length. The style is longer than the calyx (Notice the length of the styein he photos above and below.). The seed capsules, seen at right, are linear-clavate, glandular-puberulent, and from 2-2.5 cm long.

Habitat:

Rose willowherb is found growing in subalpine to alpine meadows, talus slopes, and on rocky ledges in the mountains.

Range:

Rose willowherb is found in mountainous areas from the central Cascades of Oregon and south through the Sierra Nevada to California and Nevada, and then east to the Blue Mts. and Steens Mt. of Oregon and the Sawtooth Mts. of central Idaho.

Rose willowherb blooming enmasse on steep talus and rock crevice slopes (with subsurface moisture) in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.........August 19, 2011.

Rose willowherb from the Strawberry Mt, Strawberry Wilderness..........August 3, 2011.

Rose willowherb as seen at left near the high Lake Rim Ttrailhead of the Skyline Trail #385, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........July 17, 2013. The photo at right shows the basal leaves of rose willowherb as seen near the high Lake Rim Ttrailhead of the Skyline Trail #385, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........July 8, 2023.

The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers of rose willowherb as seen along the trail down to Wildhorse Lake on the Steens Mt, southeastern Oregon..........July 27, 2004.

Paul Slichter