This Springs Wildflowers
Hi All,
Please excuse the length of (& # of pictures in) this post and if this is a repeat post for you, skip it.
I thought I would summarize some trips I've taken recently.
First, for our 2nd annual Memorial Day trip to Southern OR. On the hills, the land is dry open pine forest with some fir mixed in; however, in the valley areas, there is plenty of water. The juxtaposition of very dry and very wet makes for some interesting habitats.
We camped next to this river.
Despite the dryness of most of the hills, many creeks flow down often spreading out across large areas creating boggy areas in the serpentine sandy ground. That's Lisa in the background, for scale. This particular bog extends to the left and up the steep hill more than 100yards.
There are lots of Platanthera (sparsifolia?) all over. They smell very strongly of honey.
Here are several pictures of Cypripedium californicum, which is endemic only to S OR and N CA.
Between some boulders, by the river.
Single.
When a bug gets trapped and can't find their way out.
A rare goof up. The flowers are bound at the flower-end of the capsule where the lateral petal originate.
After years of searching (in the wrong places, mostly) we finally got some photos of Cypripedium fasciculatum. Although "widespread" throughout CA, OR, WA, CO, MT and ID, they are rare in their range. In OR, they persist in the South only; however, there are data for this species right across the Columbia river in Southern Washington, 1 mile from Northern OR...
We also visited Mt Hood in Northern OR. Here're some photos of Cypripedium montanum. This species is very fragrant as well: spicy sweet like Cyp pubescens. This species does give me contact dermatitis similar to poision ivy/oak every year as my finger or forearm accidentally brushes up against a leaf as I'm getting a picture. The tiny irritating hairs are also transferable, so when you itch your eyes later... Oi.
Forma welchii, with noticable pink around the rim of the lip.
Back at home.
Galearis spectabilis in a pot.
Cyp kentuckiense in a friends garden.
Cyp tibeticum (from the Himalayas), same garden.
Bletilla formosanum flowering inconveniently in February.
A hybrid Pleione at a friend's greenhouse.
A self sown Dactylorhiza in the same garden.
Best,
Ross Kouzes
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Thanks for the great photos! so nice to see plants in their natural setting, naturally grown....
thanks for sharing.
