[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2018]

Wildflowers of the Crooked River National Grasslands

Gray Butte Trail #852

Crook County, Oregon

May 31, 2018

Gray Butte from the north, from the McCoin Orchard Trailhead, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 20, 2017.

A view south towards Gray Butte from the McCoin Orchard Trailhead, Crooked River National Grasslands...........May 20, 2017.

View across wildflower meadows towards the Three Sisters Wilderness from the west side of Gray Butte, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 20, 2017. - West face of Gray Butte, Crooked River National Grasslands........May 20, 2017. - Wildflower meadows viewed up the west side of Gray Butte, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 20, 2017.

The photo at right shows a view west across wildflower meadows towards the Three Sisters Wilderness from the Gray Butte Trail. The photo at center shows a view up the west side of Gray Butte with stony ground lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus) in the foreground. The photo at right shows a different view of the western slope of Gray Butte, Crooked River National Grasslands.........May 20, 2017.

Additional Information for those planning to hike the Crooked River National Grasslands:

Crooked River National Grasslands - Info about hiking trails, camping, access, etc.


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

* Crested Wheatgrass: Agropyron cristatum

* Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

* Onespike Oatgrass: Danthonia unispicata

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. secunda

* Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

* Medusahead: Taenitherum caput-medusae

* Tolmie's Onion: Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei

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

* Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum

* Blue Dicks: Triteleia grandiflora - Blue form.

Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides

* Rock Buckwheat: Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum - In bud.

Goose Lake Wild Buchwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum - In bud. yellow

Prostrate Knotweed: Polygonum aviculare - In parking area.

Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii ?

* Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva

Douglas' Campion: Silene douglasii - In bud.

Hornseed Buttercup: Ceratocephala testiculata - Past bloom.

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum

Desert Alyssum: Alyssum desertorum - Maturing fruits.

Secund Rockcress: Boechera retrofracta - Pendant pods.

Hairystem Rockcress: Boechera pauciflora - Spreading pods.

Daggerpods: Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides - Maturing fruits.

* Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii

* Small-flowered Prairiestar: Lithophragma parviflora - Fading out of bloom.

* Pale Serviceberry: Amelanchier pallida ? or Utah Serviceberry: Amelanchier utahensis ?

* Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata - Beginning to bloom.

* Stiff Milkvetch: Astragalus conjunctus var. conjunctus

Woollypod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii var. lagopinus - Woolly pods.

* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus

Stony Ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus - Past bloom.

* Alfalfa: Medicago sativa

* Fennel Cymopterus: Cymopterus terebinthinus var. foeniculaceus 

* Broad-fruit Lomatium: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum

* Cusick's Elkweed: Frasera albicaulis var. cusickii

* Douglas' Phlox: Phlox douglasii

* Threadleaf Phacelia: Phacelia linearis

* Peck's Paintbrush: Castilleja peckiana

Gairdner's Penstemon: Penstemon gairdneri var. gairdneri

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. richardsonii

* Lowly Penstemon: Penstemon humilis

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus - At trailhead.

Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos (oreophilus var. utahensis ?) - Only leaves.

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Sagebrush Agoseris: Agoseris parviflora

Low Sagebrush: Artemisia arbuscula (ssp. arbuscula ?)

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Fading out of bloom.

* Rough Eyelashweed: Blepharipappus scaber

Tapertip Hawksbeard: Crepis acuminata - In bud.

* Baker's Hawksbeard: Crepis bakeri

* Gray Hawksbeard: Crepis intermedia

* Modoc Hawksbeard: Crepis modocensis

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

* Scabland Fleabane: Erigeron bloomeri var. bloomeri

* Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis

Scoulers Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri

* Pineapple Weed: Matricaria discoidea

False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides - Going to seed.

* Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana

* Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale

* Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Mourning Dove

Spotted Towhee

Western Wood Peewee

Chipping Sparrows

Western Fence Lizard

Ochre Ringlets


Paul Slichter