[Wildflower bloom in the Southern Washington Cascades: 2007]

Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mts. of Washington

Mt. Adams: DNR Rd S1750 (upper south-facing slopes of King Mt.)

May 13, 2007

longhorn steer's-head as seen on south-facing slopes near the summit of King Mt., which is several miles south of Mt. Adams.........May 13, 2007.

The photo above shows longhorn steer's-head as seen on south-facing slopes near the summit of King Mt., which is several miles south of Mt. Adams.........May 13, 2007.
The site visited for this page's study is above 4000' on recently cleared slopes which have been replanted with pines. The site originally was heavily vegetated with snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus). The slopes that were visited face south and the upper slopes afford a good view of the Camas Prairie wetlands of Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The lower slopes are covered by a fairly deep duff with some lava boulders protruding through the duff. The upper slopes contain some boulder fields with the lava boulders fairly large in size.
N46 02.729' --- W121 24.691' --- Elevation: 4055' --- +/-19'
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

* 1. Sedge: Carex sp. -

2. Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa -

3. Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana - Plants beginning to leaf out and bloom.

* 4. Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum - Now only in bloom in shaded areas.

* 5. False Solomon Seal, Feathery False Lily of the Valley: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule - A few beginning to bloom.

* 6. Wood Lily, Trillium: Trillium ovatum - Found under the trees on higher slopes.

* 7. Western Spring Beauty: Claytonia lanceolata var. lanceolata - Still fairly numerous.

8. Western Columbine: Aquilegia formosa var. formosa -

* 9. Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - Now beginning to bloom.

10. Shining Oregon Grape: Berberis aquifolium -

* 11. Steer's Head: Dicentra uniflora - A fair number still in bloom high on the slopes.

* 12. Oaks Toothwort: Cardamine nuttallii var. nuttallii - A few still in bloom.

13. Bitter Cherry: Prunus emarginata - In bud.

14. Annual Burnet: Sanguisorba occidentalis - Found along road at this location.

* 15. Baker's Violet: Viola bakeri (formerly Viola nuttallii var. bakeri) -

16. Snowbrush Ceanothus: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus -

* 17. Oregon Boxwood, Mountain-box: Paxistima myrsinites -

* 18. Pinemat Manzinita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis - Beginning to bloom.

19. Scarlet Gilia: Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. aggregata (formerly Gilia aggregata) -

* 20. Ball-head Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum - Several seen in bloom. Some have inflorescences (with leafless scapes) extending above the leaves which are similar to the variety thompsonii found lower at Conboy Lake NWR. It remains to be seen if these are that latter variety.

21. Tall Phacelia: Phacelia procera -

22. Western Giant Hyssop: Agastache occidentalis -

23. Woodland Beardtongue: Nothochelone nemorosa -

24. Black Elderberry: Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa - In bud.

25. Carey's Balsamroot : Balsamorhiza careyana - A fair amount of plants seen at this location, but they are not in bloom yet.

36. Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus (var. exaltatus or var. ochroleucus) - Plants with flower buds. Not in bloom yet.

Animals Seen:

1. Northern Flicker

2. Immature Spotted Towhee

3. Warbling Vireo

4. Several Dark-eyed Juncos

5. Copper?

6. Blue (butterfly)

Paul Slichter E-mail