[Wildflower bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2011]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Champion (Company) Haul Road (from Wahkiacus to Beeks Canyon)

Klickitat Wildlife Area in the Klickitat River Canyon

July 21, 2011

View of an arm of the Klickitat River from the Company Road, Klickitat County, Washington........July 21, 2011.

A view north (upstream) along a loop of the Klickitat River from the Company Road.....July 21, 2011. The photo is taken at the mouth of Beeks Canyon where this loop of the river washed away the road many years ago. The road at this location has had its pavement removed and is currently being planted with native shrubs to help restore the area to near wild conditions with the hope of enhancing salmon runs.

Note: Since this visit, much of the Haul Road has been removed and several river channels crossing the old road bed have been reinstated. One can safely hike upstream from Wahkiacus or an alternate trailhead off SR142 for about 4 miles before reaching the first river channel across the route. It's definitely unsafe to try to cross the channel except during late summer or early fall. There may be a user trail around this obstruction, but it may be difficult to follow as it is not a sanctioned trail and thus not kept clear.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Field Horsetail: Equisetum arvense

Ferriss' Scouring Rush: Equisetum x ferrissii

Imbricate Swordfern: Polystichum imbricans

Western Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pubescens

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

* Bigleaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum

White Alder: Alnus rhombifolia

Mountain Alder: Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia

Sitka Alder: Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata ?

* Shiny Oregon Grape: Berberis aquifolium

River Birch: Betula occidentalis

* Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa ssp. balsamifera

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana

* Pacific Willow: Salix lasiandra (var. lasiandra ?)

Duckweed: Lemna minor

* Rush: Juncus sp.

* Toad Rush: Juncus bufonius

* Pacific Rush: Juncus effusus (var. ?)

* Daggerleaf Rush: Juncus ensifolius

* Fragile-sheath Sedge: Carex fracta

* Redroot Flatsedge: Cyperus erythrorhizos or Awned Flatsedge: Cyperus squarrosus

* Needle Spikerush: Eleocharis acicularis

* Common Spikerush: Eleocharis palustris

* Common Tule: Schoenoplectus acutus

* Small-fruited Bulrush: Scirpus microcarpus

* Meadow Foxtail Grass: Alopecurus (pratensis ?)

Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum

Orchard Grass: Dactylis glomerata

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

Leiberg's Bluegrass: Poa leibergii

* American Water Plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica

Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Past bloom.

Nevius' Onion: Allium nevii ? - Past bloom.

* Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus

Chocolate Lily: Fritillaria affinis - Pods forming.

Columbia Tiger Lily: Lilium columbianum

* Hyacinth Cluster Lily: Triteleia hyacinthina - Fading out of bloom.

* Denseflowered Rein Orchid: Platanthera elongata

* Western Ladie's Tresses: Spiranthes porrifolia

* Stinging Nettles: Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

* Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum

* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii

* Pale Smartweed: Persicaria lapathifolia

* Spotted Lady's-thumb: Persicaria maculosa

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

* Curly Dock: Rumex crispus

* Jerusalem Oak: Dysphania botrys

* Carpetweed: Mollugo verticillata

Sticky Chickweed: Cerastium glomeratum

* Deptford Pink: Dianthus armeria

* Bouncing Bet: Saponaria officinalis

* Menzie's Campion: Silene menziesii

Red Sandspurry: Spergularia rubra - In bud.

* Common Chickweed: Stellaria media

* Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

* Meadow Larkspur: Delphinium distichum

* White Water Buttercup: Ranunculus aquatilis var. capillaceus

* Celeryleaf Buttercup: Ranunculus sceleratus var. multifidus

* Watercress: Nasturtium officinale

* Western Yellow Cress: Rorippa curvisilqua var. curvisiliqua

* Tumble Mustard: Sisymbrium altissimum

Thinleaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. tenuifolia

* Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii - Fading out of bloom.

Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus (douglasii ?)

Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca ssp. bracteata - Fruits ripe.

Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor

Ninebark: Physocarpus capitatus

* Sulphur Cinquefoil: Potentilla recta

Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa - Fruits are green.

Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata

* Pearhip Rose: Rosa woodsii - Fading out of bloom.

* Himalayan Blackberry: Rubus armeniacus

Blackcap Raspberry: Rubus leucodermis - Fruits are ripening.

Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus - Fruits ripening.

Trailing Pacific Blackberry: Rubus ursinus - Fruits ripening.

* Douglas' Spiraea: Spiraea douglasii var. menziesii

* Spanish-clover: Acmispon americanus var. americanus

* Nevada Deer-vetch: Acmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis - Fading out of bloom.

* Bog Deer-vetch: Hosackia pinnata - Fading out of bloom except in the wettest of places.

Velvet Lupine: Lupinus leucophyllus - Creamy-flowered form. Past bloom.

* Alfalfa: Medicago sativa

* White Sweet-clover: Melilotus alba

* Field Clover: Trifolium campestre ?

Cup Clover: Trifolium cyathiferum - Past bloom.

* Least Hop Clover: Trifolium dubium

* Small-head Clover: Trifolium microcephalum

* Red Clover: Trifolium pratense

* Few-flower Clover: Trifolium oliganthum

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea - Fruits are ripening.

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium - Fading out of bloom.

* Turkey Mullein: Eremocarpus setigera

Thyme-leaved Spurge: Euphorbia serpyllifolia ?

Pond Water-starwort: Callitriche stagnalis

Poison Oak: Toxicodendron diversilobum

* Marsh Hollyhock: Sidalcea oregana var. oregana - Fading out of bloom.

* Common St. John's Wort: Hypericum perforatum

* Scouler's St. Johnswort: Hypericum scouleri (formerly ssp. scouleri )

* Deerbrush: Ceanothus integerrimus - Fading out of bloom.

Buckbrush: Ceanothus sanguineus

* Hyssop Loosetrife: Lythrum hyssopifolium

* Spatula-leaf Loosestrife: Lythrum portula

* Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium

* Small-flowered Godetia: Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera

* Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum - Beginning to bloom.

* Ciliate Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum (ssp. ciliatum ?)

* Denseflowerd Willowherb: Epilobium densiflorum

* Spreading Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum - Fading out of bloom.

* Western Water Hemlock: Cicuta douglasii

* Queen Anne's Lace: Daucus carota

Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense

Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule

Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

Suksdorf's Desert Parsley: Lomatium suksdorfii - Past bloom, but plants are still green.

Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

* Common Yampah: Perideridia montana (Perideridia gairdneri)

Broadleaf Star Flower: Lysimachia latifolia

Flytrap Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium

* Narrow-leaf Milkweed: Asclepias fascicularis

* Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora - Blooming on moist sandbars.

* Yellow-staining Collomia: Collomia tinctoria - Blooming on moist sandbars.

* Prickly Navarretia: Navarretia intertexta ssp. intertexta - Fading out of bloom.

Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. hastata

* Varied-leaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata - Fading out of bloom except in moist places.

Common Houndstongue: Cynoglossum officinale

* Small-flowered Forget-me-not: Myosotis laxa

* Scouler's Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys scouleri - Fading out of bloom. ?

* Bracted Verbena: Verbena bracteata

Rough Bugleweed: Lycopus asper

* Field Mint: Mentha arvensis

* Heal All: Prunella vulgaris

* Narrow-leaf Skullcap: Scutellaria angustifolia (var. ?)

* Oblong Blue-curls: Trichostema oblongum

* Bittersweet Nightshade: Solanum dulcamara

* Bractless Hedge-hyssop: Gratiola ebracteata

Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica

* Slender False Pimpernel: Lindernia anagallidea

* Short-flowered Monkeyflower: Erythranthe breviflora

* Brewer's Monkeyflower: Erythranthe breweri - This mid-montane annual was found on a sandbar along the river.

* Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata - Fading out of bloom except in the wettest places.

* Musk Monkey Flower: Erythranthe moschata - Blooming in moist channels on the sand bars.

Barrett's Penstemon: Penstemon barrettiae

Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruiticosus - One 4' diameter plant on a sand bar. This is the farthest south plant I've seen of this species in the Klickitat Canyon.

* Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii v. richardsonii - A number of plants blooming on sand and gravel bars. Done blooming on rock outcrops.

* Moth Mullein: Verbascum blatteria

* Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

* Water Speedwell: Veronica anagallis-aquatica

* Purslane Speedwell: Veronica peregrina var. xalapensis

* Marsh Speedwell: Veronica scutellata

* English Plantain: Plantago lanceolata ?

* Common Plantain: Plantago major

Bedstraw: Galium sp. - Small, 4 leaves per whortl, weedy.

* Bigroot: Marah oreganus - Fading out of bloom.

* Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea

* Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus

* Round-leaf Bluebell: Campanula rotundifolia

* Heterocodon: Heterocodon rariflorum

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium v

* Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea

Field Pussytoes: Antennaria howellii ssp. howellii

Field Pussytoes: Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica

Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia

Michaux's Wormwood: Artemisia michauxiana - This alpine plant is out of place, but could be expected if washed downstream from Mt. Adams.

Beggar Ticks: Bidens sp.

* Bachelor Buttons: Centaurea cyanus

* Diffuse Knapweed: Centaurea diffusa

* Dustymaidens: Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii - Still in bloom on the gravel and sand bars along the river.

* Chicory: Cichorum intybus

* Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense

* Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare

* Canadian Horseweed: Conyza canadensis

* Smooth Hawksbeard: Crepis capillaris ?

* Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. lanatum - Fading out of bloom on sandbars along the river.

* Blanket Flower: Gaillardia aristata

* Cotton-batting Plant: Gnaphalium chilense

* Lowland Cudweed: Gnaphalium palustre

Columbia River Gumweed: Grindelia (columbiana ?) - In bud.

* Hairy Goldaster: Heterotheca villosa (var. ?)

Prickly Lettuce: Lactuca serriola

* Rabbitleaf: Lagophylla ramosissima - Fading out of bloom.

* Lemon-scented Tarweed: Madia citriodora

* Leafy Aster: Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi - Beginning to bloom along the Klickitat River on gravel bars.

* Western Mountain Aster: Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum - Beginning to bloom in moist places.

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale

Yellow Salsify: Tragopogon dubius - Going to seed.

Common Cocklebur: Xanthium strumarium ?


Animals Seen Along This Route:

California Ground Squirrels

Turkey Vultures

Red-tailed Hawks

Crows

Ravens

Crows

Northern Flickers

Mourning Doves

Belted Kingfishers

Stellers Jays

Spotted Towhees

Western Wood Peewees

Robins

House Finches

Lazuli Buntings - Fairly common

Cedar Waxwings - Numerous

Song Sparrows

Dark-eyed Juncos

Vaux's Swifts

Violet-green Swallows

Hummingbird

Rattlesnake

Western Fence Lizards - Sunning on the pavement of the road.

Young Tree Frogs - Numerous in wet areas.

Western Swallowtails - Numerous

Lorquin's Admirals

Mourning Cloak

Great Arctics

Wood Nymphs

Fritillaries

Crescents

Propertius Duskywings

Honey Bees

Bumble Bees

Yellowjackets

Mosquitoes - Not numerous, but still too many!


Paul Slichter E-mail