2015 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Robert]

There were never ending rock outcroppings to explore. More than I could check on in just one outing.



Eschscholzia lobbii was common in among the rocks. The triangular tips to the petals helps identify this species from the other Eschscholzia species in this area.



Castilleja foliolosa was another plant frequently seen in this habitat.



An excellent find was this orange-yellow form of Castilleja foliolosa



I thought that it was an exceptional color form and I will hopefully be able to return to gather seed.

[Robert]

The trail finally worked its way down to the South Fork at 599 feet (182.5 meters). Of coarse there was much more to explore, but it was time for me to turn around.



California Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia californica) is an easy plant to miss, even when in bloom.



On close examination one can marvel at its interesting flowers.



The foliage of Sanicula bipinnatifida can vary form green to various shades of purplish-green. The foliage on this plant was a beautiful rich purple - very different and attractive.



The new spring foliage on California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii) is beautifully colored with shades of pink, yellow and green. Drift of this species grow on the north facing slopes at this elevation. It is something I delight in every spring.

For me this was another fantastic day out in Nature, a very pleasant 11.2 mile (18km) hike.

[Tim Ingram]

Really enjoyed that outing Robert. I'm beginning to get a much better impression of the flora and very interested to see the various umbels. A purple leaf form of Cow parsley found in the UK has become an extremely popular garden plant, so the sanicle is exciting to see. Shows that gardeners in general do have an affinity for the native plants around them if in some way they come across as extra special.

[fermi de Sousa]

Wow, Robert!
Your earlier posts were engaging but these are spectacular with all those flowers already!
That iris is better than images of it that I've seen uptodate - makes me interested to try it.
And that Indian Paintbrush is pretty impressive, too!
More strength to your elbow, as they say!
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Pretty little Iris Robert, and one I haven't seen before.

[Maggi Young]

Robert, my ignorance of the range of your native flora is highlighted with almost every one of your posts. 
Happily, though, you are teaching me a great deal - thank you.

[Hoy]

Well Robert, I can only join the others in the choir!

I particularly like that broomrape and also the figwort.

Broomrapes are very rare here and I am always excited when I find any.

It is only one native figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) here and it is pollinated by stinging wasps, not bees. How hardy is the Californian one?

[Maggi Young]

It is only one native figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) here and it is pollinated by stinging wasps, not bees.

 There! I learned something else....

[Robert]

Really enjoyed that outing Robert. I'm beginning to get a much better impression of the flora and very interested to see the various umbels. A purple leaf form of Cow parsley found in the UK has become an extremely popular garden plant, so the sanicle is exciting to see. Shows that gardeners in general do have an affinity for the native plants around them if in some way they come across as extra special.

Tim,

The Apiaceae are certainly an interesting group of plants; ornamental, food crops, medicine, or poison. The drought conditions over the last 4 years has had an impact on our native flora, however many species can clearly adjust to the changing situation. It will be interesting to see how this season progresses up and down the mountain. Many of the Lomatium, Perideridia, Sanicula, and Tauschia have adjusted to the drought conditions fairly well. For Heracleum, Ligusticum, Osmorhiza, etc. the drought has had a greater impact.

[Robert]

Wow, Robert!
Your earlier posts were engaging but these are spectacular with all those flowers already!
That iris is better than images of it that I've seen uptodate - makes me interested to try it.
And that Indian Paintbrush is pretty impressive, too!
More strength to your elbow, as they say!
cheers
fermi

Pretty little Iris Robert, and one I haven't seen before.

Fermi and David,

Good forms of Iris macrosiphon / hartwegii can be quite nice. The color range is lavender thru shades yellow. Fermi, this might be a good Iris for your region as it needs zero summer irrigation and is not bothered by extreme heat. They are always found in partly shaded areas, however my guess is that they would grow in full sun in the UK.

Castilleja foliolosa bakes in the full sun with summer temperatures easily getting to 40C. or more. They go dormant, and look dead, with the arrival of the summer dry season. I still find them a worthy species for the garden. They like to share their roots with other species of plants, Manzanita or Chamise seem to work fine, although the can also grow on their own.

[Robert]

Well Robert, I can only join the others in the choir!

I particularly like that broomrape and also the figwort.

Broomrapes are very rare here and I am always excited when I find any.

It is only one native figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) here and it is pollinated by stinging wasps, not bees. How hardy is the Californian one?

Trond,

We have about 6 species of Broomrape in our area at various elevations and in various habitats. I rarely see any of the various species as they seem to like to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

I am not sure how cold hardy Scrophularia californica might be. It is generally found at lower elevations so cold could be an issue for this species. It also grows in somewhat dry areas so this could be an issue too.

[Robert]

Robert, my ignorance of the range of your native flora is highlighted with almost every one of your posts. 
Happily, though, you are teaching me a great deal - thank you.

Maggi,

This is a tremendous learning experience for me too! As I am sure most know, the plants have much to teach us, if we will only pay attention. They have been on this planet much longer than we have and have considerable wisdom.

On each outing I generally make a new acquaintance. Even the older friends have much to teach me, as I learn to identify them at all stages of their life cycle and at all stages of their yearly growth cycle. Some have secretes as strong medicine such as Osha (Ligusticum), Lomatium, and Usnea. There are many others.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences with everyone and hope many benefit from the postings.

[Robert]

I had a very busy day today, however between rain showers I took a quick look at the serpentine barrens just down the road. Lomatium utriculatum was in bloom, with many other early wildflowers such as Cream Cups (Platystemon californicus), Goldfields (Lasthenia californica), and Butter and Eggs (Triphysaria eriantha). There were other species in bloom but I was not prepared for the rain, so I cut things short. It will be better to leave them for another day.

Lomatium utriculatum is such a great plant to have around.  Not only is it highly ornamental, in addition it is a powerful medical herb. I feel fortunate to have such a plant close at hand. The seeds, as well as the roots, have a strong antiviral quality. Good to have around if there is another 1918 type pandemic. The tap root is quite small, so it is not practical as a wild food source. Some of the other species have roots that can get large and were used as food by the Native Americans.

[Shadylanejewel]

The last of the White Leaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida) were blooming at this elevation. This was a nice pinkish form.

Gorgeous! 

And I haven't seen Castilleja foliolosa like that since I was a kid. Absolutely stunning!

Thank you.

[Yann]

Fantastic Robert, i love all your photos and the region's luminosity brings me warmth.