[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2018]

Bingham Prairie and the Twin Pillars Trail #832

from the Twin Pillars North Trailhead to the base of the Twin Pillars

Ochoco National Forest & Mill Creek Wilderness

May 25, 2018

A view of Twin Pillars as seen from uphill to the north from the Twin Pillars Trail #832, Mill Creek Wilderness.......May25, 2018.

A view of Twin Pillars as seen from uphill to the north from the Twin Pillars Trail #832, Mill Creek Wilderness.......May25, 2018.

Weather: Temperatures in the low to mid 50s with mostly cloudy skies. No winds. A violent thundershower swept through and dumped rain for half an hour, followed by persistent sprinkles for another hour.


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Morels: Morchella sp.

California White Fir: Abies concolor x Abies grandis ?

Grand Fir: Abies grandis

Snowbrush: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus

Western Larch: Larix occidentalis

Oregon Boxwood: Paxistima myrsinites

Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta var. latifolia

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana

* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

Nebraska Sedge: Carex nebrascensis

Needlegrass: Achnatherum sp.

Meadow Foxtail: Alopecurus pratensis

* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum - Only found along the trail near the Twin Pillars.

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa - Only found along the trail near the Twin Pillars.

American Bistort: Bistorta bistortoides - In bud.

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

* Tolmie's Onion: Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei

* False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule

* Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum

* Western Springbeauty: Claytonia lanceolata - Beginning to bloom.

* Nevada Lewisia: Lewisia nevadensis

* Lineleaf Montia: Montia linearis

* Largeleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla

Baneberry: Actaea rubra

Crimson Columbine: Aquilegia formosa

* Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus

* Cutleaf Tansymustard: Descurainia incisa ssp. incisa (formerly ssp. viscosa)

* Albert's Whitlowgrass: Draba albertina ?

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum ssp. stenopetalum

* Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens

Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina - In bud.

* Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum

* Slender Woodland Star: Lithophragma tenellum

* Oregon Saxifrage: Micranthes oregana - Beginning to bloom.

* Three-toothed Mitrewort: Mitella trifida - Beginning to bloom.

Prickly Currant: Ribes lacustre

Sticky Currant: Ribes viscosissimum

Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia

Montana Sticky Cinquefoil: Drymocallis glandulosa (var. reflexa ?) In bud. Bracteate inflorescence.

* Wood's Strawberry: Fragaria vesca var. bracteata

* Broadpetal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana var. platypetala

Largeleaf Avens: Geum macrophyllum (var. macrophyllum ?)

Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum

Bush Ocean Spray: Holodiscus microphyllus var. glabrescens - Around the base of the Twin Pillars.

Western Burnet: Poteridium occidentale

* Bittercherry: Prunus emarginata var. emarginata

North American Red Raspberry: Rubus (idaeus ssp. strigosus ?)

Salmonberry: Rubus spectabilis ? - At base of cliffs at first viewpoint into canyon.

* Hansen's Clover: Trifolium longipes var. hansenii - Beginning to bloom.

Creeping White Clover: Trifolium repens

False Mermaid: Floerkea proserpinacoides

* Hooked Spur Violet: Viola adunca

* Stream Violet: Viola glabella

* Northern Bog Violet: Viola nephrophylla

* Goosefoot Violet: Viola purpurea var. venosa

Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium ssp. canescens

Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum

Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayi

* Wasatch Desertparsley: Lomatium leptocarpum

Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

* Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens - Beginning to bloom.

* Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis - Beginning to bloom.

Green-leaved Manzanita: Arctostaphylos patula

Pipsissewa: Chimaphila umbellata

Sidebells Wintergreen: Orthilia secunda

* Dwarf Bilberry: Vaccinium caespitosum

* Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

Spreading Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis

Western Polemonium: Polemonium occidentale

* Dwarf Hesperochiron: Hesperochiron pumilus

Ballheaded Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum (var. alpinum?)

* Meadow Nemophila: Nemophila pedunculata

Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina

Varied-leaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata

Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus - In bud.

Rydberg's Penstemon: Penstemon rydbergii (var. ?) - In bud.

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

American Brooklime: Veronica americana

* Thymeleaf Speedwell: Veronica serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia

Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum

Black Elderberry: Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa - In bud.

Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus

Snowberry: Symphoricarpos sp.

Mt. Heliotrope: Valeriana sitchensis

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Pale Agoseris: Agoseris glauca var. glauca

Agoseris monticola

Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea

* Heart-leaved Arnica: Arnica cordifolia - Beginning to bloom.

Parry's Arnica: Arnica parryi

Canada Thistle: Cirsium vulgare

Modoc Hawksbeard: Crepis modocensis

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

Rough-leaved Aster: Eurybia radulina

White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri - In bud.

* Madia exigua ?

* Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans

* Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Beginning to bloom.

* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius

* White-rayed Mule's Ears: Wyethia helianthoides


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Elk - Tracks

Mule Deer - Tracks

Northern Flicker

Steller's Jays

American Robins

Townsend's Solitaire

Cassin's Finch

Dark-eyed Juncos

Pine Siskins

MacGillivray's Warbler

Red-breasted Nuthatches

White-breasted Nuthatch ?

House Wren

Western Fence Lizard

Frogs - Heard

Trout in creek at second crossing.

California Tortoiseshell


Paul Slichter