[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2016]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Catherine Creek

Parking Area to the Area Below the Arch

February 23, 2016

False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides

False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides

* Indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Comprehensive Catherine Creek Plant List

Weather: Hazy sun with light winds 5-10 mph. Temps in the low to mid 50s in the afternoon.

Antlered Perfume: Evernia prunastri

Wolf Lichen: Letharia vulpina

Glossy Red Bryum Moss: Bryum miniatum

Juniper Haircap Moss: Polytrichum juniperinum

Polytrichum Moss: Polytrichum pilferum

Elongate Racomitrium Moss: Racomitrium elongatum ?

Wallace's Spikemoss: Selaginella wallacei

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis

Licorice Fern: Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana

Long-anthered Woodrush: Luzula macranta - Only basal leaves.

Pale-anther Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum var. pallidum - A few basal leaves emerging from the ground.

Chocolate Lily: Fritillaria affinis - Leaves and young floral stems emerging from the ground.

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Beginning to bloom at low elevations.

* Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii - Peak bloom above Old Highway 8 is still probably 10-14 days away.

Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata var. perfoliata

Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva - A few plants with small flower buds.

Water Chickweed: Montia fontana var. tenerrima

* Line-leaf Montia: Montia linearis - Beginning to bloom.

Chickweed: Stellaria media

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - In bud.

* Spring Whitlow Grass: Draba verna

* Smooth Praire Star: Lithophragma glabrum

* Northwestern Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa

* Rusty-hair Saxifrage: Micranthes rufidula

Columbia Gorge Lupine: Lupinus latifolius x sericeus (Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius) - A few plants with leaves extending above the ground.

Cutleaf Violet: Viola sheltonii - Basal leaves numerous in sunnier places amongst leaf litter under the oaks.

Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

Poison Oak: Toxicoscordion diversilobum - A few plants with signs they are about to leaf out.

* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum

* Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense - Beginning to bloom above Old Highway 8.

Pacific Sanicle: Sanicula crassicaulis - Basal leaves emerging from the ground.

Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens - Many plants with flower buds. Should be in bloom by the last weekend of February.

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii - Lower leaves out.

Barrett's Penstemon: Penstemon barrettiae

Bedstraw, Cleavers: Galium aparine

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule


Animals Seen Along This Route Today:

California Ground Squirrels

Bald Eagles

Red-tailed Hawks

Northern Flickers

Stellers Jays

Scrub Jays

Western Meadowlarks

Dark-eyed Juncos


Paul Slichter