[Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mountains of Washington: 2015]

Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mountains of Washington

July 26, 2015

Windy Trail #216E, Loowit Trail #216, Loowit Falls Trail #216F, Willow Springs Trail #207A, and Truman Trail #207

Mount Saint Helens National Monument

Wildflower Bloom for Windy Trail #216E, Loowit Trail #216, Loowit Falls Trail #216F, Willow Springs Trail #207A, and Truman Trail #207, Mount Saint Helens National Monument........July 26, 2015.

A view southwest towards the breach into the crater of Mt. St. Helens across the Pumice Plain, Mt. St. Helens National Monument........July 25, 2015. The gray patches on the ground are low mountain lupine (Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii) and the bushes are most likely all sitka willows (Salix sitchensis).

Alpine Lady Fern: Athyrium alpestre var. americanum

Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum

Noble Fir: Abies procera

Sitka Alder: Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata

Black Cottonwood: Populus balsamifera var. trichocarpa

Sitka Willow: Salix sitchensis

Parry's Rush: Juncus parryi

Hitchcock's Woodrush: Luzula hitchcockii

Piper's Woodrush: Luzula piperi

* Merten's Sedge: Carex mertensii

* Showy Sedge: Carex spectabilis

* Dirty Socks: Eriogonum pyrolifolium var. coryphaeum

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

Littleleaf Miner's-lettuce: Montia parvifolia

Tolmie's Saxifrage: Saxifraga tolmiei

* Arctic Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. subalpinus

* Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

* Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

Smooth Willowherb: Epilobium glaberrimum (var. fastigiatum ?)

Thinleaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum

* Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. ?

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata

* Woodland Beardtongue : Nothochelone nemorosa

* Cardwell's Penstemon: Penstemon cardwellii - Fading out of bloom.

Cascade Penstemon: Penstemon serrulatus

Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca

* Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea

* Mountain Arnica: Arnica latifolia

* White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - Fading out of bloom.

* False Dandelion: Hypochaeris radicata

* Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum var. lanatum

* Cascade Aster: Eucephalus ledophyllus

Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Animals Seen Along This Hike:

Roosevelt Elk - About 12

Mountain Goats - 43

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels

Pika

Ravens

American Robins

Hermit Thrushes

Dark-eyed Juncos

Horned Larks

Wildflower Bloom for Windy Trail #216E, Loowit Trail #216, Loowit Falls Trail #216F, Willow Springs Trail #207A, and Truman Trail #207, Mount Saint Helens National Monument........July 26, 2015. - Wildflower Bloom for Windy Trail #216E, Loowit Trail #216, Loowit Falls Trail #216F, Willow Springs Trail #207A, and Truman Trail #207, Mount Saint Helens National Monument........July 26, 2015.

Views across the Pumice Plain towards Spirit Lake, Mt. St. Helens National Monument........July 25, 2015. Common paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), low mountain lupine (Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii) and Cardwell's penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii) are fading out of bloom . Several species of native, perennial grasses are also abundant across the ground.
Paul Slichter