Wildflower bloom in the eastern Columbia River Gorge is starting to become somewhat limited to areas with moisture, either riparian habitats, those on north-facing slopes, or at higher altitudes on the ridgetops. Grasses are becoming browner with interesting seed heads, and many of the wildflowers now have beautiful seed pods.
Those plants that bloom during the summer, need dry conditions and probably lots of sunshine. They typically are hairy plants, often silver or silvery-blue in color to help retard moisture loss and reflect sunlight, hence lowering their temperature.
Flower bloom should again begin to rise in late summer into fall as the shrubby members of the sunflower family begin to bloom. Those areas with sagebrush or goldenweed, or rabbitbrush will be ablaze with yellow at that time!
Heart-leaf Buckwheat (yellow forms): Eriogonum compositum var. compositum
Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum
Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. proliferum- Just commencing bloom.
Jim Hill Mustard: Sisymbrium altissimum
California Poppy: Eschscholzia californica
Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii
Himalayan Blackberry: Rubus bifrons
Western Burnet: Poteridium annuum
Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. aridus
Velvet Lupine: Lupinus leucophyllus var. leucophyllus
Alfalfa: Medicago sativa
White Sweet Clover: Melilotus alba
Common St. John's Wort: Hypericum perfoliatum
Tall Annual Willow Herb: Epilobium brachycarpum
Flytrap Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium
Narrow-leaf Milkweed: Asclepias fascicularis
Field Morning Glory: Convolvulus arvensis
Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora
Moth Mullein: Verbascum blattaria
Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
Large-flowered Agoseris: Agoseris grandiflora
Bachelor's Button: Centaurea cyanus
Chicory: Cichorum intybus
Wavy-leaf Thistle: Cirsium undulatum
Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium
Blanket Flower: Gaillardia aristata
Columbia River Gumweed: Grindelia nana var. discoidea
Fiddle-grass: Epilobium hirsutum
Dalmatian Toad-flax: Linaria dalmatica
Cut-leaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. richardsonii
Tumble Knapweed: Centaurea diffusa- Pesky weed! Carefully pull them!
Yellow Star Thistle: Centaurea solstitialis- Pesky weed! Very carefully pull them (they're stickery!)
Common Sunflower: Helianthus annuus
Northern Wyethia: Wyethia amplexicaulis