Some plants I encounter in Norway.

[Rick R.]

Trond, thanks for this thread.  These kinds of photos are not only useful from a botanical prospective, but also invaluable as they document the flora during climate change, too. While our climate's temperature here in Minnesota (USA) has not risen very much, our rainfall, humidity and rainfall pattern have changed significantly since several years ago: more humidity throughout the year, consistently more summer rain and longer, wetter falls.  I had not realized how sensitive so much of our dryland habitat here is, as I already lament the demise if its flora.

[Gabriela]

Gentiananella campestris is a favorite of mine. Here it is 1000s in the meadow.

Also one of my favourites Trond I directly sowed some seeds one year but who knows what happened with them, but I believe is the best way to try them.
The Exobasidium is indeed very ornamental, I wouldn't even have said the color was due to an infection.

[Gabriela]

Trond, thanks for this thread.  These kinds of photos are not only useful from a botanical prospective, but also invaluable as they document the flora during climate change, too. While our climate's temperature here in Minnesota (USA) has not risen very much, our rainfall, humidity and rainfall pattern have changed significantly since several years ago: more humidity throughout the year, consistently more summer rain and longer, wetter falls.  I had not realized how sensitive so much of our dryland habitat here is, as I already lament the demise if its flora.

 Maybe some species will start to 'migrate' Rick - in SW Ontario the reverse is happening, the summers are getting warmer and with less and less rains, although once in a while a 'wet' year happens.

[Hoy]

Trond, thanks for this thread.  These kinds of photos are not only useful from a botanical prospective, but also invaluable as they document the flora during climate change, too. While our climate's temperature here in Minnesota (USA) has not risen very much, our rainfall, humidity and rainfall pattern have changed significantly since several years ago: more humidity throughout the year, consistently more summer rain and longer, wetter falls.  I had not realized how sensitive so much of our dryland habitat here is, as I already lament the demise if its flora.

Thank you Rick. I appreciate your comments.

The weather and climate change here also, we can see it. The flora and fauna change also but not only due to the weather and the climate but the human impact changes also.

[Robert]

Trond,

Climate change is impacting California. Currently, rising snow levels and its implication on the hydrology of the state is probably the issue of most concern. However, many other facets of climate change are also troublesome and need to be addressed.

Gardeners may want to become aware of the implications of climate change. These changes are impacting our gardens, the plants we grow, and wild plants and habitats, which are the source of new plant introductions and are an important gene pool from which future plant development can continue.

Currently, my data suggest that transient changes in plant physiology and distribution are tending toward more long-term changes. What might be of interest to gardeners is how this information can be used to improve our growing techniques as well as provide important insights for species/plant improvement.

[Hoy]

Also one of my favourites Trond I directly sowed some seeds one year but who knows what happened with them, but I believe is the best way to try them.
The Exobasidium is indeed very ornamental, I wouldn't even have said the color was due to an infection.

Gabriela,

I think the seeds can stay for years in the soil waiting for the right time to germinate. As I said, this year I can count 1000s, last year only a handfull.

Exobasidium was also common this year! It gives the plants extra color and I don't  think they are harmed much by it.

[cohan]

This summer has been extraordinary because people are restricted in going abroad, then they visit places in their own country. And they all want to see the same! Which is not the places foreign tourists visit.

That would be an interesting comparison, to see the two itineraries!

[cohan]

Rick-- a somewhat similar set of changes here-- springs have been generally earlier, which means drier (though this year spring was 'late' more like it had been when I moved back in 2007) with an often wetter summer ( though still really variable as it always was).. I have also been thinking falls have been tending wetter, but only my own observation, don't know if it has been statistically relevant... this has a big impact for farmers, of course, as harvest is always tricky here, as it is... I haven't yet noticed any stresses on local species, but most of what is around here is adapted to a range of environments.. the dry  springs could impact wetlands over time, and fewer serious cold spells in winter will presumably have an impact on insects and disease..

Trond and Gabriela- re: Gentianaceae seeds waiting in soil-- yes! this year due to mower issues and having to do it alone, my mowing was late and less thorough, and the few patches of Halenia I usually leave unmowed  were instead many patches in far separated parts of the acreage, and many many plants. The wet year probably helped also. We also have Gentianella amarella, but mostly just outside the acreage, they are in flower now too-- I've managed to have a few plants in garden beds, but haven't noticed any this year..

[Tristan_He]

Climate change has been obvious here too. We have had several more or less snow-free (and last year almost frost-free) winters. On the other hand we have been prone to very dry and warm spells in late spring to early summer (roughly between mid April and the start of June). This year we have had a very cool and wet summer as well, and the combination of these means that I now have Hamamelis x intermedia and Hepatica nobilis coming into flower! (and yes, I am in the northern hemisphere).

[cohan]

Climate change has been obvious here too. We have had several more or less snow-free (and last year almost frost-free) winters. On the other hand we have been prone to very dry and warm spells in late spring to early summer (roughly between mid April and the start of June). This year we have had a very cool and wet summer as well, and the combination of these means that I now have Hamamelis x intermedia and Hepatica nobilis coming into flower! (and yes, I am in the northern hemisphere).

That's really out of season! Have you had those flower at this time before? Anticipate any problems?

[Hoy]

Trond,

Climate change is impacting California. Currently, rising snow levels and its implication on the hydrology of the state is probably the issue of most concern. However, many other facets of climate change are also troublesome and need to be addressed.

Gardeners may want to become aware of the implications of climate change. These changes are impacting our gardens, the plants we grow, and wild plants and habitats, which are the source of new plant introductions and are an important gene pool from which future plant development can continue.

Currently, my data suggest that transient changes in plant physiology and distribution are tending toward more long-term changes. What might be of interest to gardeners is how this information can be used to improve our growing techniques as well as provide important insights for species/plant improvement.

Robert,

So far it seems that we get more precipitation here, both in winter and in summer. One week last summer the price of the power was negative (the consumer was actually paid for using it!) due to too much water in the reservoirs. But 2 years ago it was very dry so maybe we will experience more fluctuations than before.

The growing season has been several weeks longer and the winters milder but the last years both record high and record low temperatures have been measured.

Botanists are concerned about high alpine plants - they don't have higher mountains to climb, and a few others may suffer but most plants in Norway have a wide ecological amplitude - you will find them from the seaside to the mountains. I am more concerned by the land management than by the climate change though. So far I think the former has greater impact on flora and fauna.

[Hoy]

Climate change has been obvious here too. We have had several more or less snow-free (and last year almost frost-free) winters. On the other hand we have been prone to very dry and warm spells in late spring to early summer (roughly between mid April and the start of June). This year we have had a very cool and wet summer as well, and the combination of these means that I now have Hamamelis x intermedia and Hepatica nobilis coming into flower! (and yes, I am in the northern hemisphere).

I haven't seen those species reblooming yet but many of my rhododendrons do!

[Tristan_He]

That's really out of season! Have you had those flower at this time before? Anticipate any problems?

Not that I can recall Cohan! As for problems... we'll see. The extra weird thing is that the Hamamelis is a red flowered cultivar ('Diane') but the flowers now are bright yellow! I think it's just really confused.... (and also it's definitely not the rootstock suckering)

[Hoy]

As we are approaching autumn and the mushroom season, we took a walk in one of the wide forests close to Oslo (where we are staying for a few days). Well, the forest was wide once, not any more, at least not as wide as when I was a kid. But we didn't meet a single soul. We found quite a few edible mushrooms (mostly golden chanterelle, yellowfoot and wood hedgehog mushroom).

But we also found this one, Hydnellum suavolens, that smelled very nice of anise, peppermint and vanilla! It is not edible though.







The common haircap moss was adorned with many different species but the red fly agaric was the prettiest.





A big population of touch-me-not balsam decorated the road verge.

[Hoy]

The day started out very nicely with sun and a nice temperature.




Not yet ripe, cranberries in the sphagnum bog.




An old moss-clad log adorned with stiff clubmoss.




Then suddenly the sky darkened and the heavenly sluice gates opened. I didn't take pictures when it rained, only just before it started.





It rained and hailed for about two hours but we had shelter in a cabin.

It stopped as suddenly as it started and the sun warmed us when we went home.