WOODLAND EDGE NATIVE

One of a number of native wildflower plants that I grow in my flower garden. Yakima County, Washington. IMG_5771

WOODLAND NATIVE

The leaves of this native groundcover resemble that of a strawberry. The plant does not bear edible fruit.

A splash of light on forest floor

EASTERN SKUNK CABBAGE (SYMPLOCARPUS FORTIDUS)

This is usually the first native flower to bloom in the spring. Enclosed in a red-green mottled spathe, the green colored spadix is covered in tiny yellow flowers. There are also distinct populations of Skunk Cabbage with spathes in solid red and bright yellow green. The bloom has a rotting flesh smell which attracts a variety of insects for pollination.

Echium italicum (Italian viper's bugloss, Lady Campbell weed), in the Etruscan wilderness outside Bomarzo June 2023

You never know what'll pop up on the trail ahead

Here are a few more photo from my Bear Creek Mountain hike. the hike to the Summit of Bear Creek Mountain is about 7 miles round trip. Unfortunately the views were not as good as during my past visits because of clouds and slightly hazy atmosphere. Wildflowers were past their prime but I ended up with more wildflower photos than landscape shots. The hot summer is scorching the wildflowers. If you know I have incorrectly identified any of the plants, and that is likely, let me know. IMG_7670

Wildflowers photographed while hiking from Scenic Drive in the Cowiche Canyon Uplands, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_4136

WOODLAND NATIVE

Flowers bloom on a single stem beneath the leaf stalk. The roots have been used as a substitute for true Sarsaparilla in herbal medicine.

WOODLAND NATIVE

WOODLAND EDGE NATIVE

The more common red color phase .

OPEN WOODLAND NATIVE

I hiked to the top of Cowiche Mountain, located at Snow Mountain Ranch and got a number of wildflower photos. This is on WDFW and Cowiche Canyon Conservancy property in Yakima County, Washington. I will post more photos later. Wildflowers are at peak bloom now. IMG_6317

GREAT WHITE TRILLIUM (TRILLIUM GRANDIFLORUM)

WOODLAND EDGE NATIVE

SEED PODS

Nature in the city.

Andryala integrifolia (common andryala) growing in the sidewalk in front of the Porta Romana train station in Viterbo.

Noticed, and pictured, while waiting around to see if the bus we are hoping to take to Pitigliano on Saturday showed up for its daily run today--and, happily, it did. :-) So now we knew where to go to catch it.

Bus travel in Italy is generally fine, but is usually organized within provinces, and we wanted to go from Viterbo in Viterbo province to Pitigliano,in Grosseto province. Luckily for us, there is a bus company that provides that connection, but there was a bit of confusion about where exactly in Viterbo to catch the bus, which we finally resolved. :-) And observed this native wildflower in the process.

WOODLAND EDGE NATIVE

Photographed at Bethel Ridge, Cash Prairie, Yakima County, Washington. The road is now snow free and the trees across the road have been cut and partially removed. Spring beauty and avalanche lily are in full bloom. Some plants, like Dwarf Hesperochin that have been so abundant in the past are hard to find. For me, in the past this has been a great area to photograph birds. There were almost no birds. IMG_5571

WOODLAND NATIVE

This plant does not contain chlorophyll and is mycoheterotropic, getting it's nutrients through fungi associated with nearby tree roots.

Jacksonville, Oregon

Fujifilm X-T4 paired with Meyer-Optik 56mm and an extension tube

A grove of compass plants now grace the prairie restoration in McCarthy Park

Photographed at Bethel Ridge, Cash Prairie, Yakima County, Washington. The road is now snow free and the trees across the road have been cut and partially removed. Spring beauty and avalanche lily are in full bloom. Some plants, like Dwarf Hesperochiron that have been so abundant in the past are hard to find. For me, in the past this has been a great area to photograph birds. There were almost no birds. IMG_5570

IMAGE 2 of 2

One of the three bioluminescent fungi found in western Pennsylvania. The glow is localized to the gill area and requires a time exposure to bring out the details. It is unknown what controls the bioluminescence whether it is active growth, spore production or a combination of other environmental factors. Although found on other continents and the Pacific coast area of North America, only those found in eastern North America are bioluminescent. In this macro image, the largest immature cap measures 0.25 inches (6 mm) in diameter.

Photographed at Bethel Ridge, Cash Prairie, Yakima County, Washington. The road is now snow free and the trees across the road have been cut and partially removed. Spring beauty and avalanche lily are in full bloom. Some plants, like Dwarf Hesperochin that have been so abundant in the past are hard to find. For me, in the past this has been a great area to photograph birds. There were almost no birds. IMG_5566

Photographed during a backpack trip to Blankenship and Twin Sisters Lake, Yakima County, Washington.

IMG_7585

Photographed in the L. T. Murray Wildlife Area, Quilomene Unit, Kittitas County, Washington. I hiked about 2.25 miles one way on and near Pumphouse Road. The early spring wildflowers are about gone but there are hundreds of late spring flowers at peak. I took about 200 photos so I will post more in the next few days. IMG_6084

Photographed on a wet, windy day south of Highway 12 on a relatively new part of the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, Oak Creek Unit. Access is off or FS 1302. Although I did not travel nearly that far FS Road 1302 is one route to Jumpoff Lookout. I viewed these wildflowers on a spur road. IMG_7844

Here are a few more photo from my Bear Creek Mountain hike. The hike to the Summit of Bear Creek Mountain is about 7 miles round trip. Unfortunately the views were not as good as during my past visits because of clouds and slightly hazy atmosphere. Wildflowers were past their prime but I ended up with more wildflower photos than landscape shots. The hot summer is scorching the wildflowers. If you know I have incorrectly identified any of the plants, and that is likely, let me know. IMG_7691

Native plant photographed along the lower reaches of Bethel Ridge, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_6493

WETLANDS NATIVE

WETLANDS NATIVE

Young oak tree.

WOODLAND NATIVE

A southeastern United States native, isolated groups have become established in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Likes lime rich soils. Love the common name.

Native plant in the Yakia River Canyon near Ellensburg, Washington. IMG_9114

Hiked to the top of Cowiche Mountain a few days ago to enjoy the wildflowers and view. Will post a few photos of the views and more flowers latter. Cowiche Canyon Conservancy property and trail, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_6280

Cistus ×incanus (pink rockrose) under Quercus pubescens (downy oak, Italian oak) along the road, ISO the elusive Pyriamide Edtrusco del Bomarzo June 2023

Louisiana Wakerobin - Trillium ludovicianum

I found this strange blossom while walking at a local lake. Its brownish flowers opened toward the ground; which they were only inches above. To get this photo I had to set my camera on the ground. Browns, or western peony. A native plant of the American west.

Celandine poppies, blooming in an early spring woodland.

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

DeKalb County (Medlock Park), Georgia, USA.

2 April 2025.

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📷 Photographer's note:

Every spring, I look forward to the blooming of celandine poppies. This year, however, I feel a deeper connection to them since they were among my late brother's favorite native wildflowers.

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▶ Botanical notes:

☞ "Stylophorum diphyllum —commonly called the celandine poppy or wood poppy— is an herbaceous plant in the poppy family (Papaveraceae), native to the eastern United States and Ontario in Canada. Its typical natural habitat is moist forests over calcareous rock, particularly in ravines.

☞ In spring, the deep yellow flowers of the celandine poppy appear as a brilliant display on the forest floor. The flowers have 4 yellow petals, two soon falling sepals, many yellow orange stamens, and a single knobby stigma. They appear singly or in umbels of two to four flowers from early spring to early summer. The flowers issue from between a pair of leaves at the top of the flowering stems. They produce pollen but no nectar.

☞ After fertilization, a bristly blue-green pod hangs below the leaves. Seeds with white elaiosomes [fleshy structures attached to seeds that attract ants] ripen in midsummer and the pod opens by four flaps."

— Wikipedia.

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▶ Photo —and Pic(k) of the Week— by: YFGF.

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Road trip to the Columbia Gorge at the peak wildflower bloom on the Washington side of the river. Hiked Catherine Creek area and took photos of a few of the wildflowers that caught my attention. This is one of them. I could have mistaken identification and note tha most plants have many common names.IMG_1703

Wildflowers photographed while hiking from Scenic Drive in the Cowiche Canyon Uplands, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_4142

MEADOWLAND NATIVE

Might be Northern Goldenrod, solidago multiradiata.

Photographed at Raven Roost after rain. IMG_3599

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Location , Wodonga , VIC , Australia 🇦🇺

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Have a nice day

Not sure about id. Photographed at Chinook Pass, Pierce County, Washington. IMG_5951

The folklore of using wild persimmon seeds (from the native American persimmon tree, Diospyros virginiana) to predict winter weather is a longstanding tradition in the United States, particularly in the South, Midwest, and Ozarks regions. It's often described as an "old wives' tale" or nature-based prognostication, similar to reading woolly bear caterpillars or squirrel nest heights. Of course, they were never considered as accurate as the famed Farmers' Almanac.

Here’s the traditional meaning of each shape found inside a wild persimmon seed:

Spoon (or shovel):

Predicts a cold, snowy winter with lots of heavy, wet snow that you’ll have to “scoop” or shovel.

Fork

Predicts a mild winter with little snow, light powdery snow, or generally dry conditions.

Knife

Predicts a bitterly cold, harsh winter with piercing winds that “cut like a knife,” often icy but not necessarily snowy.

Native plant photographed along the lower reaches of Bethel Ridge, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_6461