[Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge: 2015]

Wildflowers Currently in Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Columbia Hills State Park: from the Crawford Oaks Trailhead

March 3, 2015

View from the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve: February 4, 2009

The photo above shows woollypod milkvetch (Astragalus purshii) as seen in bloom.

Today, the weather was sunny with light east winds to 5 mph and highs in the 40s to low 50s.

Cowpie Lichen: Diploschistes muscorum ?

Bigleaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum - Terminal buds are swelling, and these beautiful trees should begin blooming in a week or so!

Lacelip Fern: Myriopteris gracillima

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis

Licorice Fern: Polypodium glycyrrhiza

* Leiberg's Bluegrass: Poa leibergii

Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Leaves only.

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica

Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum ssp. proliferum

Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana - In bud.

* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - In bud.

* Little Western Bittercres: Cardamine oligosperma

* Tansy Mustard: Descurainia longipedicellata (D. filipes)

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Very numerous.

* Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera

* Bulblet Prairie Stars: Lithophragma bulbifera (Now included as part of Lithophragma glabrum)

* Smooth Prairie Stars: Lithophragma glabrum

* Northwestern Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus - Leaves emerging from the ground.

Small-flowered Lupine: Lupinus latifolius X sericeus (Synonym: Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus) - Leaves emerging from the ground.

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum

* Gorman's Salt and Pepper: Lomatium gormanii

* Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense

* Slender Desert Parsley: Lomatium laevigatum

Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum

* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule

* Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium piperi - Beginning to fade out of bloom.

* Nine-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum - Beginning to bloom.

* Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis

* Slender Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys tenellus

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

* Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha

* Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza deltoidea x careyana - Beginning to bloom fairly well on south-facing slopes.

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Fairly numerous, probably near their peak bloom in the lower half of the park.

Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa


Animals Seen Along This Route:

California Ground Squirrels

Mule Deer herd

Bald Eagles

Red-tailed Hawks

Harrier

Western Meadowlarks

Common Ravens

Magpies

Scrub Jays

Lewis' Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

American Robins

Western Fence Lizards


Paul Slichter