Eagles Rest Flowers Through the Summer
Looking down through ookow (Dichelostemma congestum) and tomcat clover (Trifolium willdenovii) at a sweep of Oregon sunshine (Eriphyllum lanatum) on the lowest cliff, June 4.
Menzies’ larkspur (Delphinium menziesii) and Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum) on the west end of the ridge, June 18.
I mentioned in my earlier post about a trip to Eagles Rest in May (see Unusual Plants of Eagles Rest) that I was picking up farm-fresh vegetables almost every week in Dexter this summer. Because it was only about 8 more miles to Eagles Rest, the short trip up to the summit became part of my weekly ritual. I headed up there eight times altogether this spring and summer. A great many species I was looking to add to the restoration area on my property grow there, so I was able to watch the flowering and collect seed of all of them as the season progressed. I love that this site is so short a hike and short a drive that I can be there in back in just a few hours, if that’s all the time I had, although when I was collecting seed, it sometimes took much longer than that. Here is a look back at the flowers I saw on my trips to Eagles Rest in June and July.
Paintbrush (Castilleja sp.) and Tolmie’s cat’s ears (Calochortus tolmiei) growing between the manzanita (Arctostaphylos columbiana) and Fremont’s silk tasel (Garrya fremontii) on the lower rocks, June 18.
Climbers on one of the lower sections of rock, June 18.
Later blooming Farewell to spring (Clarkia amoena), Brodiaea elegans, and barestem buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) in flower near the base of the rock on July 2. They were outstanding for several weeks and provided me with ripe seed in late July.
Hyacinth cluster lily (Triteleia hyacinthina), seep monkeyflower (Erythranthe microphyllus?), and rosy plectritis (Plectritis congesta) in a surprisingly still-moist seep near the base of the rock, July 2.
The most unexpected plant discovery of the season was numerous gnome plants (Hemitomes congestum) scattered along the trail in the woods. I hadn’t seen them here before nor were they on the old NPSO plant list. This may be because they didn’t bloom until most everything else was finished (July 9), after most flower lovers have moved to higher elevations.
By your photos, Tanya, you’re always in just the right place at just the right time! I’m in awe.