[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2017]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Catherine Creek

March 23, 2017

Grass widow: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii

Grass Widow: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii - A form with variegated tepals.

Comprehensive Catherine Creek Plant List

Weather: Partly to mostly sunny with winds to 5 mph. Temps upper 40s in the morning rising to upper 50s in the afternoon.


* Indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Antlered Perfume: Evernia prunastri

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 macrantha - In bud.

Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Basal leaves abundant on rock outcrops with shallow soils.

Ball-head Cluster Lily: Dichelostemma congestum - Basal leaves only.

* Pale-anther Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum var. pallidum

Chocolate Lily: Fritillaria affinis - One plant with a flower bud.

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica

Bicolored Cluster Lily: Triteleia grandiflora var. howellii - Leaves only.

Meadow Death-camas: Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum - Leaves only.

* Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii - Nearing their peak bloom.

Rein-orchid: Platanthera sp.

* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana

Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata var. perfoliata - Beginning to bloom.

Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva

* Water Chickweed: Montia fontana var. tenerrima

* Line-leaf Montia: Montia linearis

* Chickweed: Stellaria media

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - Several plants with flower buds.

* Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis

* Dutchman Breeches: Dicentra cucullaria - Beginning to bloom.

* Oaks Toothwort: Cardamine nuttallii - Beginning to bloom.

* Little Western Bittercress: Cardamine oligosperma

* Spring Whitlow Grass: Draba verna - Numerous.

* Smooth Praire Star: Lithophragma glabrum

Brittle-leaved Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa

* Northwestern Saxifrage: Micranthes integrifolia

* Rusty-hair Saxifrage: Micranthes rufidula

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii - Beginning to leaf out.

Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor - Beginning to leaf out.

Columbia Gorge Lupine: Lupinus latifolius x sericeus (Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius) - Leaves arising from the ground.

Bighead Clover: Trifolium macrocephalum - Leaves only.

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

Poison Oak: Toxicoscordion diversilobum

* Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - Nearing peak bloom.

* Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense

Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Leaves. (yellow-flowered form)

Bare-stem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule - Leaves.

* Butterfly-loving Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

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

Western Snakeroot: Sanicula crassicaulis

Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens

* Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens - Beginning to bloom.

Poet's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon poeticum - A few plants in bud.

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii - Leaves only.

* Meadow Nemophila: Nemophila pedunculata

Great Houndstongue: Cynoglossum grande

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

* Chickweed Monkey Flower: Erythranthe alsinoides

Common Monkey Flower: Erythranthe guttata

Barrett's Penstemon: Penstemon barrettiae

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Spearleaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa - Leaves only.

Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana (or Balsamorhiza careyana x deltoidea) - A few leaves poking out of the ground.

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule

False Agoseris, Prairie Dandylion: Nothocalais troximoides

Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Basal leaves only.

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale


Animals Seen Along This Route Today:

Red-tailed Hawks

Turkey Vultures

Northern Flickers

Stellers Jays

Western Meadowlarks

American Robins

Western Bluebirds

Dark-eyed Juncos

Violet-green Swallows

California Ground Squirrel


Paul Slichter