[Shrub-like Members of the Sunflower Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed

Ericameria resinosa

Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus

Flower head of Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

The photo above shows a close-up of a flower head and foliage of Columbia goldenweed as seen on basalt cliffs along Highway 14 just west of Horsethief Butte. Note the resinous appearance of the leaves and bracts.

Flower head of Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)The photo at right shows another close-up sideview of the flower head of Columbia goldenweed as seen at Horsethief Butte.......October 7, 2006.
Characteristics:

Columbia goldenweed is a many-branched shrub to 6 dm tall. The twigs are brittle and resinous. The leaves are hairless or glabrous, resinous, and primarily lenear. They range from 5- 30 mm in length and 0.5 - 2 mm wide.

The flower heads are either solitary or packed into fairly dense clusters of flowers at the ends of the branches. The flowerheads consist of both disk and ray flowers. The ray flowers number from 3 - 7 and are from 3 - 6 mm in length. The ray flowers are usually pale yellow or white. Occasionally flower heads may lack the ray flowers. The disk flowers number from 11 - 16, are whitish to pale yellow and are about 5 - 7.5 mm long. While in bloom from July through October, it is a fairly attractive plant with its dense, shiny leaves and stems, and mass of flowers.


Habitat:

Columbia goldenweed is found on cliffs and in rock crevices. It is especially abundant on the near vertical faces of basalt cliffs. It is a plant of rocky areas within the plains and foothills, but may be found as high as 6000 feet on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains.


Range:

Columbia goldenweed is found east of the Cascade crest in Washington and northern Oregon. Its range extends into central and northern Idaho.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found on cliffs above the river from roughly adjacent to Mosier, OR and then east at elevations between 100'-1800'.


Flower head of Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

A close-up view of the flower head of Columbia goldenweed with both the disk and ray flowers both easily visible. Horsethief Butte.......October 7, 2006.

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

Columbia goldenweed blooming atop basalt outcrops and cliffs above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead at Columbia Hills State Park.........October 2, 2016.

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

Columbia goldenweed blooming on basalt cliffs and ledges above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park..........October 12, 2013.

Maturing seed heads of Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

The photo at left shows the maturing seed heads of columbia goldenweed observed on basalt cliffs and ledges above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park.........November 18, 2017. The photo at right shows blooming columbia goldenweed observed on basalt cliffs and ledges above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park.........October 14, 2018.

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

Columbia goldenweed observed in bloom on basalt cliffs and ledges above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park.........October 16, 2017.

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)


Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

Columbia goldenweed in winter dormancy atop basalt outcrops on the benches above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills Historical State Park......November 23, 2023.

Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus) - Columbian Goldenbush, Columbia Goldenweed, Columbian Heath Goldenrod, Gnarled Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa (Synonym: Haplopappus resinosus)

The photo at left shows Columbia goldenweed in winter dormancy atop basalt outcrops on the benches above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills Historical State Park......December 31, 2022. Columbia goldenweed at right on basalt cliffs east of Lyle, WA. Note that this specimen is not in bloom, and is in fact viewed in mid-April many months before bloom.

Paul Slichter