[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2017]

Wildflowers of Cottonwood Canyon State Park & Adjacent BLM Lands

Hard Stone Trail

West Bank of the John Day River

Sherman County, Oregon

May 3, 2017

Hard Stone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park......May 30, 2017.

A view south upstream along the John Day River Canyon from the west side of the John Day River with a major bend in the river (containing the Big Eddy), Cottonwood Canyon State Park...........May 3, 2017.

Additional Information for those planning to hike Cottonwood Canyon State Park:

Cottonwood Canyon Info: includes map showing BLM vs. Oregon State Park land. Even better maps are available from the BLM. http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles/publications/Cottonwood101301.pdf

Cottonwood Planned Trail Development: (scroll down for planned trails) http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PLANS/docs/masterplans/cottonwood/cottonwood-plan-maps-ch10.pdf


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

White Alder: Alnus rhombifolia

* Western Hackberry: Celtis reticulata

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

Indian Ricegrass: Achnatherum hymenoides

Lemmon's Needlegrass: Achnatherum lemmonii var. lemmonii - Almost in bloom. ??????

* Mouse Barley: Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum ????

* Ripgut Brome: Bromus diandrus

* Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (var. ?)

Basin Wildrye: Leymus cinereus

Reed Canarygrass: Phalaris arundinacea

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Leiberg's Bluegrass: Poa leibergii

* Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. secunda

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

Hoary Nettles: Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus - Leaves only.

Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Past bloom. Pods maturing.

* Bicolored Cluster Lily: Triteleia grandiflora

Douglas' Grasswidows: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii - Forming fruits.

Northern Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - In bud.

Snow Buckwheat: Eriogonum niveum

Wirestem Buckwheat: Eriogonum vimineum

Curly Dock: Rumex crispus

Veiny Dock: Rumex venosus - Past bloom on the trail adjacent to the Big Eddy.

* Bastard Toadflax: Comandra umbellata

* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana

* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum var. nuttallianum

Hornseed Buttercup: Ceratocephala testiculata - Past bloom.

* Blue Mustard: Chorispora tenella

* Thread-stalk Cutleaf Tansymustard: Descurainia longipedicellata

* Whitetop: Lepdium chapalense ? - Beginning to bloom.

* Clasping Peppergrass: Lepidium perfoliatum

Tall Tumblemustard: Sisymbrium altissimum

* Many-flowered Thelypody: Thelypodium milleflorum - Beginning to bloom.

Fringepods: Thysanocarpus curvipes

Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii - In bud.

* Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

* Small-flowered Prairiestar: Lithophragma parviflorum

Golden Currant: Ribes aureum - Past bloom.

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii - Some flower buds present.

* Common Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa - Beginning to bloom.

* Stiff Milkvetch: Astragalus conjunctus var. rickardii

* Glabrous Sickle Milkvetch: Astragalus curvicarpus var. subglaber

* Woollypod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii (var. purshii ?)

* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus - Beginning to bloom.

* Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. aridus

Chick Lupine: Lupinus microcarpus - Only leaves.

Alfalfa: Medicago sativa

Lanceleaf Scurf Pea: Ladeania lanceolata

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

Smoothstem Blazingstar: Mentzelia laevicaulis var. laevicaulis - Basal leaf rosettes and some plants with flower buds.

Poison Ivy: Toxicodendron rydbergii

Annual Evening Primrose: Epilobium brachycarpum

Burr Chervil: Anthriscus caucalis

Poison Hemlock: Conium maculataum

* Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. multifidum - Fading out of bloom.

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule

* Broad-fruit Lomatium: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum

Bindweed: Convolvulus arvensis

* Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora - A few plants with blooms.

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis - Fading out of bloom.

* Prickly Phlox: Phlox aculeata

* Longleaf Phlox: Phlox longifolia

* Woolen Breeches: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. alpinum

Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. hastata

* Lineleaf Phacelia: Phacelia linearis

Changeable Scorpionweed: Phacelia mutabilis - In bud.

* Common Fiddleneck: Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia

* Wingnut Cryptanth: Cryptantha pterocarya ? - Small-flowered. Alternate leaves.

* Henbit: Lamium amplexicaule

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - Fading out of bloom.

* Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata

* Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. dentatus

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

* Naked Broomrape: Orobanche uniflora var. occidentalis

* Naked Broomrape: Orobanche uniflora var. purpurea

* Cleavers: Galium aparine

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - Beginning to bloom.

Gray Sagewort: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. candicans

Stiff Sagebrush: Artemisia rigida

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Probably past peak bloom at river level.

Diffuse Knapweed: Centaurea diffusa

Sticky-flowered Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus ssp. viscidiflorus

Wavyleaf Thistle: Cirsium undulatum

Slender Hawksbeard: Crepis atribarba - In bud.

Threadleaf Daisy: Erigeron filifolius - In bud.

Shaggy Fleabane: Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius - In bud.

Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (var. speciosa ?)

Columbia Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa

* Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum (var. integrifolium ?)

Matchbrush: Gutierrezia sarothrae

Hoary Goldaster: Heterotheca villosa (var. ?)

Prickly Lettuce: Lactuca serriola

* False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides

Scotch Thistle: Onopordum acanthium

Skeletonweed: Stephanomeria (tenuifolia ?)


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Canada Geese - Active along the banks of the John Day River.

Chukar or Gray Partridge ? - Flew over me. Not a good look at it.

Red-winged Blackbirds

Western Meadowlarks

Says Phoebe

Western Kingbirds

White-crowned Sparrows

Lazuli Buntings - Numerous!

Yellow-rumped Warblers

Canyon Wrens

Rock Wrens

Desert Side-blotched Lizard

Western Gopher Snake

Western Rattlesnake

Bullfrogs on the banks of the John Day River.

Anise Swallowtails

Light Sulphur

Gray Hairstreak

Mourning Cloaks - Very numerous

Ochre Ringlets - Numerous. One observed on Astragalus conjunctus var. rickardii

Julia's Orange-tips - Numerous

Juba Skipper - On Sisymbrium altissimum

Woolly Bear Larva - Long white hairs on back.

Green Tiger Beetles

Bumble Bees - Giant. Nectaring on Astragalus conjunctus var. rickardii


Paul Slichter