[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2013]

[Wildflower Destinations in the Columbia River Gorge]


Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge

Four Sisters

Columbia Land Trust lands

March 9, 2013

A view east from the Four Sisters towards the Dalles, OR........March 9, 2013.

A view east towards The Dalles with the Four Sisters in the foreground..........March 2, 2013.

One of the vernal pools at the Four Sisters......March 9, 2013.

One of the small vernal ponds at the Four Sisters property. Several mallards and about a dozen green-winged teals were languishing in the water and on the far shore during our visit, so we gave them wide berth so as not to disturb them. Sevenmile Hill is in the horizon.

Weather: Clear blue, sunny skies with a light wind in the morning to moderately gusty by mid-afternoon. Temperatures in the mid to upper 50s where wind-sheltered.

* indicates a wildflower currently in bloom.

This hike is mostly on lands recently purchased by the Columbia Land Trust. Please contact them for permission to hike here and for the best directions to gain public access to this site. FYI - The Portland chapter NPSO will hold a hike here in early May if you are interested in learning more about this site.

 

Polytrichum Moss: Polytrichum pilferum

Lace Lipfern: Cheilanthes gracillima

Medusahead: Taeniatherum caput-medusae

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica

* Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii

Red Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. rubra - In bud.

* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum var. nuttallianum - In bud.

* Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna

* Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

Peak Saxifrage: Saxifraga nidifica ssp. claytoniifolia

Serviceberry: Amelanchier sp.

Columbia Gorge Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus - Basal leaves emerging from ground.

Chervil: Anthriscus scandicina

* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - Beginning to bloom.

* Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Yellow-flowered form.

Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule - Leaves only.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi

Nine-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum - Leaves only.

Gairdner's Yampah: Perideridia montana (P. gairdneri ssp. borealis)

* Midget Phlox: Phlox gracilis

Variedleaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - Beginning to bloom.

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana ? - Flower buds visible, should be a good bloom in about 10 days.

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule


Animals Seen Along This Route:

Western Fence Lizard

Mule Deer herd

Bald Eagles

Red-tailed Hawks

Harrier

Mallards

Green-winged Teals

Ravens

Western Meadowlarks

Horned Larks


Paul Slichter