[Wildflower Bloom Reports for Washington & Oregon] [Columbia River Gorge Wildflower Bloom Reports Prior to 2002]

[Wildflower Destinations in the Columbia River Gorge]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge

March 10, 2002

Poet's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon poeticum

Three Bench Loop (park at Doug's Beach about 2 miles east of Lyle, WA)

Directions to Three Bench Loop

*Indicates Plant is in bloom.

*1. Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica- Beginning to bloom out.

*2. Grass Widows: Sisyrinchium douglasii - Beginning to bloom out.

*3. Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia (Montia) perfoliata- A few in bloom.

*4. Chickweed: Stellaria media- A few in bloom.

*5. Little Western Bitter Cress: Cardamine oligosperma- Many in bloom.

*6. Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna var. boerhavii - Many in bloom.

*7. Fringe Pods: Thysanocarpus curvipes- Numerous

*8. Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabra -Fairly common, especially on steep slopes or along the upper edges of cliffs.

*9. Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflora- Beginning to bloom, mostly where protected from the weather.

*10. Northwestern Saxifrage: Saxifraga integrifolia- Fairly common at the east end of the trail.

11. Sand Clover: Trifolium tridentatum - Lots of small leaves only on the climb up at the east end.

*12. Filaree: Erodium cicutarium- Common.

*13. Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi- A few in bloom.

*14. Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum -Numerous plants in bloom, although the peak bloom hasn't been reached.

*15. Pungent Desert Parsely: Lomatium grayii - Numerous bloom.

*16. Slender-fruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium leptocarpum- A few in bloom.

*17. Bare-stem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule- A few almost in bloom.

*18. Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi- A few in bloom.

*19. Poet's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon poeticum- A few in bloom along the creek near the east trailhead.

*20. Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis- Numerous.

*21. Meadow Nemophila: Nemophila pedunculata- A few in bloom.

*22. Rigid Fiddleneck: Amsinckia retrorsa- Sparse bloom.

*23. Rusty Popcorn Flower: Plagiobothrys nothofulvus- Numerous.

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

*25. Bedstraw: Galium aparine- Numerous, although only a few in bloom.

*26. Wild Cucumber: Marah oreganus- A few vines with flowers emerging.

*27. White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera- Numerous.

*28. Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea- A few in bloom along the highway.

*29. Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza deltoidea- Several in bloom above the highway.

*30. Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule -Many in bloom at the west end.

*31. Old-man-in-the-spring/ Common Butterweed: Senecio vulgaris- A few in bloom along the highway.

32. Big-leaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum- The terminal and lateral buds are swelling to thumb-size in preparation for opening soon!


Animals Seen along the Three Bench Loop:

1. Bald Eagle (One, soaring upstream towards The Dalles).

2. Northern Flicker (Three)

3. Ravens (a pair)

4. Common Crows (Four)

5. Scrub Jays (Two)

6. Spotted Towhee (One)

7. Hermit Thrush (One)

8. Black-capped Chickadee (Five)

9. Dark-eyed Junco (Seven)

10. Canada Geese (Three, along Doug's Beach)

11. California Ground Squirrel (One, on cliffs above SR 14)


Paul Slichter