[Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mountains of Washington: 2016]

Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mts. of Washington

Ape Canyon Trail #234

Mount St. Helens National Monument

July 13, 2016

The eastern slopes of Mt. St. Helens as seen from across the Plains of Abraham at the base of Pumice Butte, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument...............July 13, 2016. Cardwell's penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii) and common paintbrush (Castilleja miniata) bloom still in abundance, but in patches in this area.

The eastern slopes of Mt. St. Helens as seen from across the Plains of Abraham at the base of Pumice Butte, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument...............July 13, 2016. Cardwell's penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii), partridgefoot (Luetkea pectinata) and common paintbrush (Castilleja miniata) bloom still in abundance, but in patches in this area.
* Indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Juniper Haircap Moss: Polytrichum juniperinum

Western Lady Fern: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. cyclosorum

Deer Fern: Blechnum spicant

Common Horsetail: Equisetum arvense

Western Polypody: Polypodium hesperium ?

Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum

Northern Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens

Pacific Silver Fir: Abies amabilis

Noble Fir: Abies procera

Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta (var. ?)

Western White Pine: Pinus monticola

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Western Hemlock: Tsuga heterophylla

Vine Maple: Acer circinatum

Rocky Mountain Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii

Sitka Alder: Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata

Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana

Sitka Willow: Salix sitchensis

Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa

* Merten's Sedge: Carex mertensii

* Showy Sedge: Carex spectabilis

* Merten's Rush: Juncus mertensianus - Blooming in moist places along the Loowit Trail.

Parry's Rush: Juncus parryi

* Small-flowered Woodrush: Luzula parviflora

* Mountain Bentgrass: Agrostis variabilis - Along the Loowit Trail.

* Sweet Vernalgrass: Anthoxanthum odoratum - At the trailhead.

* Columbia Brome: Bromus vulgaris ?

* Orchard Grass: Dactylis glomerata - At the trailhead.

* Blue Wildrye: Elymus glaucus

* Spike Trisetum: Trisetum spicatum ? - Along the Loowit Trail.

* Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora

* Columbia Lily: Lilium columbianum

* False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule - Only in bloom on north-facing slopes in forest below the Loowit Trail.

Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum - Fruits developing.

Hooker's Fairybells: Prosartes hookeri ? - Fruits forming.

Western Wakerobin: Trillium ovatum

* Spotted Coralroot: Corallorhiza maculata - Fading out of bloom.

Rattlesnake Plantain: Goodyera oblongifolia

* Broad-lipped Twayblade: Listera convallarioides - Mostly past bloom.

* Cascade Fleeceflower: Aconogonon davisiae (var. ?)

* Dirty Socks: Eriogonum pyrolifolium var. coryphaeum

Broadleaf Knotweed: Polygonum minimum - Open areas along the Loowit Trail.

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

* Siberian Spring Beauty: Claytonia siberica

* Littleleaf Montia: Montia parvifolia

* Common Mouse-ear Chickweed: Cerastium fontanum - Near the trailhead.

* Bigleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla

Baneberry: Actaea rubra - Berries forming.

* Columbia Windflower: Anemone deltoidea

* False Bugbane: Trautvetteria caroliniensis - In moist areas in forest.

Vanilla Leaf: Achlys triphylla - Past bloom.

Cascade Oregon Grape: Berberis nervosa - Fruits forming.

* Inside-out-flower: Vancouveria hexandra

Bleeding Heart: Dicentra formosa

* Rusty Saxifrage: Micranthes ferruginea - In bloom in moist, shady places along the Loowit Trail.

Brewer's Mitrewort: Mitella breweri - Under old growth forest.

* Fringe Cups: Tellima grandiflora - Fading out of bloom.

* Foamflower: Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata

* Youth-on-age: Tolmiea menziesii var.

* Prickly Currant: Ribes lacustre - Only a few plants in bloom.

Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. ?)

* Goatsbeard: Aruncus dioicus var. acuminatus

* Broadpetal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetala

* Partridgefoot: Luetkea pectinata

* Baldhip Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa

* Dwarf Bramble: Rubus lasiococcus - A few plants in bloom at higher elevations.

* Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus var. parviflorus - A few plants in bloom at higher elevations.

Salmonberry: Rubus specatabilis - Fruits ripening.

* Pacific Dewberry: Rubus ursinus - Beginning to bloom at higher elevations.

* Cascade Mt. Ash: Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis ?

* Birchleaf Spiraea: Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida

* Subalpine Spirarea: Spiraea densiflora - In bloom along the Loowit Trail in ravines. Not common.

* Western Bunchberry: Cornus unalaschkensis - Blooming at higher elevations in the forest.

* Broadleaf Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius - Fading out of bloom.

* Dwarf Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

* White Clover: Trifolium repens - Along the trail near the trailhead.

* Trillium-leaf Wood Sorrel: Oxalis trilliifolia - Found under old growth forest.

Pioneer Violet: Viola glabella

Darkwoods Violet: Viola orbiculata

Klamathweed: Hypericum perforatum

Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

* Enchanter's Nightshade: Circaea alpina - In bloom under the old growth forest.

* Willowherb: Epilobium sp. - Small, pink-flowered, riparian areas.

* Smooth Willowherb: Epilobium glabberimum var. fastigiatum

* White-flowered Willowherb: Epilobium lactiflorum ?

* Chaparral Willowherb: Epilobium minutum

* Cascade Desert Parsley: Lomatium martindalei

Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis - Forming fruits.

* Little Pipsissewa: Chimaphila menziesii

* Pipsissewa: Chimaphila umbellata

Slender Wintergreen: Gaultheria ovatifolia

* Salal: Gaultheria shallon - Fading out of bloom.

Pinesap: Hypopitys monotropa - Plants arising out of the ground.

Indian Pipe: Monotropa uniflora - In bud. Plants arising from the ground under lower parts of the old growth forest.

* Sidebells Wintergreen: Orthillia secunda - In bloom at higher elevations under the forest.

* Pink Heather: Phyllodoce empetriformis - Blooming on open slopes along the Loowit Trail.

* White-vein Wintergreen: Pyrola picta

Thinleaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum - Berries nearly ripe.

Oval-leaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium ovalifolium - Berries nearly ripe.

Red Huckleberry: Vaccinium parvifolium - Berries nearly ripe.

Varied-leaf Collomia: Collomia heterophylla - In bud.

* Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa - Fading out of bloom along the Loowit Trail.

* Pacific Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum tenuipes - Fading out of bloom at higher elevations under forest canopy.

* Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. hastata

* Oregon Phacelia: Phacelia nemoralis ssp. oregonensis

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata - Very common on the Plains of Abraham.

* Woodland Beardtongue: Nothochelone nemorosa

* Sickletop Lousewort: Pedicularis racemosa

* Cardwells Penstemon: Penstemon cardwellii

* Rock Penstemon: Penstemon rupicola - Past bloom on sheer cliffs but at peak bloom on moist pumice flats.

* Cascade Penstemon: Penstemon serrulatus

* Broadleaf Plantain: Plantago major - At the trailhead.

* Oregon Bedstraw: Galium oreganum - Beginning to bloom under old growth forest.

* Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum

* Twinflower: Linnaea borealis

Elderberry: Sambucus racemosa (var. ?) - Fruits forming.

* Mountain Heliotrope: Valeriana sitchensis - Only in bloom along Ape Canyon Trail just above the highest point of old growth forest.

* Scouler's Harebell: Campanula scouleri

* Common Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Pathfinder: Adenocaulon bicolor

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca - Blooming along the Loowit Trail. Not common.

* Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea - Beginning to bloom.

* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea - Beginning to bloom along the Loowit Trail.

* Mountain Arnica: Arnica latifolia - Blooming in moist places with young trees along the Loowit Trail.

* Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum (var. lanatum ?) - In bloom along the Loowit Trail.

* Cascade Aster: Eucephallus ledophyllus var. ledophyllus - Beginning to bloom along the Loowit Trail.

* White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum

* Slender Hawkweed: Hieracium triste - Blooming along the Loowit Trail about three-quarters of a mile north of the junction with the Ape Canyon Trail.

* False Dandelion: Hypochaeris radicata

* Silverback Luina: Luina hypoleuca - Peak bloom along cliff tops at the east edge of the Plains of Abraham.

* Wire Lettuce: Mycelis muralis

Animals Seen Along This Route:

Numerous mountain goats with kids seen on high, rocky meadows higher on the mountain.

Osprey

Ruffed Grouse - Booming in old growth along the upper Ape Canyon Trail.

Northern Flicker

Ravens

Band-tailed Pigeons - Cooing in old growth along the upper Ape Canyon Trail.

Black-headed Grosbeaks - Still vocal.

Hermit Thrushes - Still vocal.

Olive-sided Flycatchers - Distinctive calls heard along the upper Ape Canyon Trail.

Small Flycatchers - Being harassed by numerous hummingbirds.

White-crowned Sparrows

Dark-eyed Juncos

Pine Siskins

Red-breasted Nuthatches

Red-crowned Kinglets

Pacific Wrens

Pale Swallowtails

Paul Slichter E-mail