Wednesday Wildflower Walk - Worth Waiting

The day got away from me - I am late with today's post.

But I think this Wildflower Walk is worth waiting for. 

The Bitter Cherries (Prunus emarginata - var. Mollis) are in bloom. The Robins and chipmunks will gorge on the ripe fruit late in the summer. 

Amazing to see apple trees in bloom too.  In a 

normal' year when I was growing up they bloomed around the first of May.  This is almost a month early. 

Latin names are wonderful as they are the same for the plant world wide.

This wildflower has so many names.  I grew up calling it a Lamb's Tongue.  It is also called a Trout Lily.  Both names refer to the mottled leaves. We can call it a Fawn Lily  but if we note that it is an Erythronium oregonum then we can be sure we are discussing the same wildflower.  

This one is cool as it has two blooms on the same stem which is unusual.

It is so pretty when stands are allowed to grow and divide and naturalize.

Here's another Oregon native with multiple common names: Rooster Bill or Shooting Star are a couple. The Latin name is Dodecatheon hendersonii.

Camas (Cammassia quamash) is one of our iconic wildflowers.

Here's a Small-flowered Trillium (Trillium parviflorum ). The flower rests directly atop the leaves. 

Here's the Western Trillium (Trillium Ovatum) and it is easy to see the flowers wave on stems above the leaves. 

Western Trilliums fade from white to pink and purple as the flowers age.

This is one of those wildflowers where I know it by a common name - Spring Beauty - but have no idea what it's 'real' name or Latin name might be.

Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is our state flower.

We have a small patch of white and blue bluebells (Scillia hispanica).

Here's another native - a Red-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineun).

Nature makes some nice bouquets.  Here's a mix of Grand Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum grande) and Blue Iris (Iris tenax). 

We will have more and more clumps of Iris blooming in the days to come!