Flowering now

It’s still early in the flowering season but it’s worth a virtual tour. We’ll start on the west edge of the garden, in and around Cascara Circle.

This American plum will produce delightful fruit, about the size of apricots. As its specific epithet suggests, it is native to North America.

Prunus americana (American plum)

Prunus americana (American plum)

The inconspicuous flowers of the spicebush give way to small red drupes. All parts of the plant have a spicy fragrance and flavor. Native to eastern North America, with a little supplemental summer water, it does well as an understory shrub in the Pacific Northwest.

Lindera benzoin (spicebush)

Lindera benzoin (spicebush)

False Solomon’s seal grows throughout Canada and the USA.  It will spread, but you can thin it and give some to a friend. The intoxicating aroma of the flowers is followed by the edible (in smallish quantities, unless you’re in need of a laxative) red fruit which have a taste of slightly bitter caramelized sugar. It’s a good trail nibble.

Smilacina racemosa (false Solomon's seal)

Smilacina racemosa (false Solomon’s seal)

The golden currant of western North America has both edible flowers and fruit.

Ribes aureum var. villosum

Ribes aureum var. villosum (golden currant)

Marsh marigold in Cascara Circle stream.

Caltha palustris (marsh marigold)

Caltha palustris (marsh marigold)

The Indian plum flowers early. On April 9 it already has fruit! When larger and dark purple, they’re edible, more or less…

Oemlaria cerasiformis (Indian plum) immature fruit

Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum) immature fruit

Oregon grape, what a treasure it is. Roots are used for medicine and dye, sour fruit and young leaves are edible and flowers are bright yellow and fragrant. It’s a tough, drought tolerant plant that will slowly spread, once established.

Mahonia aquifolium

Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape)

Mix the sweet fruit of serviceberry with the sour fruit of Oregon grape and you’ve got a winning jam. It’s a hard shrub to beat when in flower.

Amelanchier alnifolia

Amelanchier canadensis (Canadian serviceberry)

Moving east to section C, the yellow pheasant’s eye is in full glory.

Adonis vernalis

Adonis vernalis (yellow pheasant’s eye)

Further east in the shady woodland area of section E, the western bleeding heart and Greek valerian which is neither from Greece nor a species of Valerian. Common names are fascinating and colorful but often confusing.

Dicentra formosa

Dicentra formosa ( western bleeding heart)

Polemonium reptans

Polemonium reptans (Greek valerian)

Sweetgrass grows well around here. Grow it in your yard and make your own sweetgrass braids.

Hierochloe odorata

Hierochloe odorata (sweetgrass)

In shady section E, Purple trillium is also known as wake-robin.

Trillium erectum

Trillium erectum (purple trillium)

Despite its  common name, I’ve seen Lomatium martindalei mixed with Lomatium nudicaule, blanketing dry hillsides in the eastern Olympic Mountains. Its other common name is Coast Range lomatium. Right.

Lomatium martindalei

Lomatium martindalei (Cascade desert parsley)

Standing by the yellowroot I can see great blue herons (Ardea herodias) landing in their rookery in nearby trees. Such a delight to work here.

Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Xanthorhiza simplicissima (yellowroot)

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh)

Uvularia grandiflora (largeflower bellwort)

Uvularia grandiflora (largeflower bellwort)

Lomatium dissectum

Lomatium dissectum (desert biscuitroot)

Lomatium macrocarpum

Lomatium macrocarpum (bigseed biscuitroot)

Ledum groenlandicum

Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea) ready to bloom

Clintonia borealis

Clintonia borealis (bluebead) almost there

I’m sure I’ve missed a few plants. If you’re nearby, stop in and see for yourself. If far away, I’ll be posting more pictures as the flowering season progresses.

 

 

 

 

blue herons above

a scent of sweetgrass lingers

on the first warm breeze

 

 

 

 

See you in the garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One Response to Flowering now

  1. Chris Stripinis says:

    Bravo on the new blog! Thanks for including common names as well as scientific names for those of us who are interested in both. I also like the edible information. I had no idea that Smilacina racemosa had edible fruit.

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