[Wildflower bloom in the Southern Washington Cascades: 2020]

Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mountains of Washington

Mt. Adams: Wicky Shelter Trail #39A, Morrison Creek Trail #39 and Buck Creek Trail #54 to the Mt. Adams Horse Camp

May 29, 2020

Wicky Shelter along Forest Road 8040, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.....May 29, 2020.

Wicky Shelter at about 3600' along Forest Road 8040, Mount Adams, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.....May 29, 2020. View additional photos at the bottom of the page.

*indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Coral Fungus - Ramiria sp.

Polytrichum Moss: Polytrichum commune or Polytrichum juniperum - Trail #39

Lady-fern: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. cyclosorum

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis - Trail #54

Common Horsetail: Equisetum arvense - Trail #39 at Morrison Creek bridge.

Pacific Oak Fern: Gymnocarpium disjunctum ? - Trail #54 at Buck Creek bridge

Common Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum - Trail #54

Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pubescens -

Grand Fir: Abies grandis -

* Vine Maple: Acer circinatum

Douglas Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii -

Red Alder: Alnus rubra

California Hazel: Corylus cornuta ssp. californica

Western Larch: Larix occidentalis -

Engelmann Spruce: Picea engelmannii var. engelmannii - Trail #39

Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta var. murryana

Western White Pine: Pinus monticola -

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa - Very large trees along Trail #54 slowly succumbing to encroaching doug firs.

Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa -

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana - Trail #54 on open bluffs above White Salmon River east of Spring .

Western Red Cedar: Thuja plicata -

Western Hemlock: Tsuga heterophylla -

* Hall's Sedge: Carex halliana - Trail #39A about 100 meters south of Wicky Shelter.

* Long-stolon Sedge: Carex inops ssp. inops - All 3 trails.

* Slender Hairgrass: Deschampsia elongata - Trail #39A

Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa -

* Small Fescue: Vulpia microstachys - Trail #54 on open bluffs above White Salmon River.

Skunk Cabbage: Lysichiton americanus -

* Wild Ginger: Asarum caudatum - One plant in bloom along Trail #39 west of junction with Trail #39A.

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus ssp. macrocarpus - Trail #54 on open bluffs above White Salmon River east of Spring Creek.

Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora - In bud.

* False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule -

* Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum -

* Fairy Bells: Prosartes hookeri -

* Rosy Twisted Stalk: Streptopus lanceolatus var. curvipes ? - At the Buck Creek crossing. Not in bloom, so this could be a mis-identification.

* Wood Lily, Trillium: Trillium ovatum -

* Bear Grass: Xerophyllum tenax -

* Fairy Slipper Orchids: Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis - Common, especially in older forest along Trail #54.

Spotted Coralroot: Corallorhiza maculata - Not in bloom so ID not confirmed.

* Merten's Coralroot: Corallorhiza mertensiana - Beginning to bloom along Trail #54.

Rattlesnake Plantain: Goodyera oblongifolia -

* Northwestern Twayblade: Neottia banksiana - Trail #54 between Buck and Spring Creeks.

Rein Orchids: Platanthera sp. - In bud. Dry forest slopes along Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - In bud. Trail #54 atop open bluffs above White Salmon River

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella -

* Broad-leaved Spring Beauty: Claytonia cordifolia - Trail #39 at Morrison Creek bridge, Trail #54 at Morrison Creek bridge.

* Red Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. rubra -

* Thyme-leaf Sandwort: Arenaria serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia - Trail #39 at Road 8031-020.

* Bigleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla -

* Baneberry: Actaea rubra - Trail #54 at Buck Creek bridge.

* Oregon Anemone: Anemone oregana - Large, beautiful, blue flowers. Only a few left in bloom.

* Red Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - Trails #39 & 54. Blooming along the latter.

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - On bluffs above White Salmon River along Trail #54.

False Bugbane: Trautvetteria caroliniensis var. occidentalis - Basal leaves only

* Vanilla Leaf: Achlys triphylla -

* Shining Oregon Grape: Mahonia aquifolium -

* Cascade Oregon Grape: Mahonia nervosa -

* Creeping Oregon Grape: Mahonia repens - Some plants looked like this species more common at the east side of Mt. Adams. But their ID was not confirmed.

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Trail #39 Uncommon, at least at this date.

* Small-flowered Alumroot: Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia - Beginning to bloom along Trail #54 atop open bluffs above White Salmon River east of Spring Creek.

* Three-tooth Mitrewort: Ozomelis trifida - Trail #54 east of Spring Creek

* Coolwort, Foam Flower: Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata - Beginning to bloom.

* Northern Black Currant: Ribes hudsonianum -

* Prickly Currant: Ribes lacustre -

* Sticky Currant: Ribes viscosissimum -

* Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia -

Cinquefoil: Drymocallis sp. (one of the varieties of the former Potentilla glandulosa taxon - non-sticky)

Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca ssp. californica -

* Broadpetal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana ssp. glauca -

Creambush Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor var. discolor

Western Burnet: Poteridium annuum

* Bittercherry: Prunus emarginata (former var. mollis) - These are the tree form of the species.

Baldhip Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa - In bud.

Blackcap: Rubus leucodermis - Trail #39

Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus

Strawberry Bramble: Rubus pedatus - Small stream crossing along Trail #39

* Salmonberry: Rubus spectabilis - Along Trail #39 west of the junction with Trail #39A.

* Pacific Trailing Blackberry: Rubus ursinus - On all 3 trails, blooming on #54.

* Cascade Mt. Ash: Sorbus scopulina -

Birch-leaf Spiraea: Spiraea lucida -Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

* Thick-leaved Pea: Lathyrus lanzwertii var. aridus ? - Not in bloom yet, so ID not verified.

Nevada Pea: Lathyrus nevadensis var. nevadensis ? - Not in bloom yet, so ID not verified.

Bird's-foot Trefoil: Lotus corniculatus - Trail #39

Broad-leaved Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius - Not in flower so not a positive ID, though most probable for this location.

Burke's Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei - In bud all trails.

White Clover: Trifolium repens - at Wicky Shelter

* American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana - Trail #54

Trillium-leaf Wood-sorrel: Oxalis trilliifolia - At Spring Creek Springs.

Oregon Boxwood: Paxistima myrsinites -

Snow Brush: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus - In bud.

Klamathweed: Hypericum perforatum ssp. perforatum

* Hooked Spur Violet: Viola glabella - Trail #54 several hundred meters west of Buck Creek East trailhead

* Stream Violet: Viola glabella -

* Marsh Violet: Viola palustris - Small stream crossing on Trail #39

Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium - Trail #39

Ciliate Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum - Trail #39 at Morrison Creek bridge.

* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium brevifolium/L. triternatum var. triternatum - Along Trail #54 atop open bluffs above White Salmon River.

* Common Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi -

* Mountain Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis - Only several plants seen.

* Bunchberry: Cornus unalaschkensis -

Pacific Dogwood: Cornus nuttallii

* Green-leaf Manzanita: Arctostaphylos patula ? - Trail #54 on open bluffs above White Salmon River

Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis ssp. nevadensis -

Little Prince's-pine: Chimaphila menziesii - In bud along Trail #54.

Pipsissewa: Chimaphila umbellata ssp. umbellata -

Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea - Trail #39

Pink Wintergreen: Pyrola asarifolia (ssp. ?) - In bud. Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

White-vein Wintergreen: Pytola picta - Trail #54 near Buck Creek bridge and east.

Thin-leaved Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum - Trail #54 west of Buck Creek

Oval-leaf Blueberry: Vaccinium ovalifolium - Plants with maturing fruits along Trail #39 at Morrison Creek and scattered along Trail #54.

Flytrap Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium -Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

* Broad-leaved Starflower: Lysimachia latifolia - Beginning to bloom along Trail #54.

* Variable-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla - Along Trail #54, especially atop open bluffs above White Salmon River east of Spring Creek.

* Narrow-leaved Collomia: Collomia linearis -

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis -

Woodland Phacelia: Phacelia nemoralis var. oregonensis - Traills #39 and #54

* Yellow and Blue Scorpionweed: Myosotis discolor - Trail #39

Cooley's Hedge-nettle: Stachys cooleyae

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. hispida - Fairly common atop Crofton Butte.

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - Numerous.

Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata - Trail #39 at Morrison Creek bridge.

Turtleheads: Nothochelone nemorosa - Leaves only. Trail #54

Leafy Lousewort: Pedicularis racemosa (var. alba or var. racemosa ?) - Trail #39. Not in bloom yet, so ID to variety not confirmed.

* Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus -

Fine-toothed Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus -

English Plantain: Plantago lanceolata - Wicky Shelter

Broad-leaved Plantain: Plantago major - Wicky Shelter

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus - Trail #39

Common Speedwell: Veronica officinalis - Leaves only.

Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum -

Twinflower: Linnaea borealis ssp. longiflora - Very common along all 3 trails.

Orange Honeysuckle: Lonicera ciliosa - Common along all 3 trails.

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea - Trail #39

Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus -

Creeping Snowberry: Symphoricarpos mollis - Common along all 3 trails.

Scouler's Harebell: Campanula scouleri - Trails #39 and #54

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium -

Pathfinder: Adenocaulon bicolor -

Spear-leaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa - In bud. Trail #54 on open bluffs east of Spring Creek.

Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea -

* Racemose Pussytoes: Antennaria racemosa - Trail #54 near Buck Creek bridge.

* Heart-leaved Arnica: Arnica cordifolia ? - On switchbacks down to Buck Creek on older (abandoned trail?) to West Buck Creek Trailhead.

* Broad-leaf Arnica: Arnica latifolia - Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare - Trail #39 at only road crossing west of Trail #39A.

Klickitat Aster: Eucephalus glaucescens - In bud at outcrops above White Salmon River along Trail #54.

Rough-leaved Aster: Eurybia radulina - Trail #54

* Least Tarweed: Hemizonella minima - Open bluffs above White Salmon River on Trail 54

White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - All 3 trails.

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri - Trail #54

Wall Lettuce: Mycelis muralis - Too abundant along Trail #54 east of Spring Creek.

Arrow-leaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis - In bud.

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale - Occasional along all the trails and at both trailheads.


Buck Creek Trail #54, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount Adams......May 29, 2020. - Buck Creek Trail #54, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount Adams......May 29, 2020.

Several views of the forest floor as observed along the Buck Creek Trail #54, Mount Adams, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.......May 29, 2020.

Paul Slichter