Lichens: Like’em or leave’em
I’ve noticed lichens before on rocks, trees and high alpine ridges before but didn’t look closely at them until recently. Peter Nelson, a lichenologist who…
Tag: Flora
Autumn arrives early in the Arctic
As I walked towards the water-filled gravel pit early one morning last week, a sound filled the air that I hadn’t heard since spring–the honking…
Pondering the puzzle bark of ponderosa pine
One of the first conifers I learned to identify after moving to Boundary County was the majestic ponderosa pine, mainly because of the bark. I…
How can a weed smell so sweet?
Do you remember the first time you smelled the pleasant aroma of alpine fir, labrador tea or cottonwood sap? I won’t forgot the first time…
Orchids aren’t just tropical flowers, they also grow in Idaho and Alaska
Wandering through the woods looking for spring flowers a few years ago, I stumbled across a small pinkish-purple flower on a stem no more than…
Cactus: More than a prickly pincushion
The ability to survive and thrive in a sun-scorched land with little water has been perfected by the cactus. Located only in portions of the…
Palm trees more than a symbol of the tropics
Palm trees typically evoke images of tropical islands with white sandy beaches and turquoise blue water. However, palm trees grow in other places besides tropical…
Pacific Yew: Thriving in the shadows of towering conifers
In the dim light below canopies of towering Douglas-fir, spruce, cedar or hemlock, the little-known Pacific yew resides. Unlike most other trees that rocket towards…
Arctic Strawberries
A rare treat above the Arctic Circle–fresh-picked strawberries. After keeping a close eye on a secret patch of wild strawberries, the first red ones appeared…
First Fireweed
Yesterday, I noticed the first fireweed showcasing its lower flowers. As summer progresses, the flowers will continue to open until they reach the top. Then…
Exploring the tiaga
With 24 hours of daylight, plants are flourishing and flowering. They have a brief window of warmth and sunshine to flower and produce seed for…
Autumn arrives early in the Arctic
As I walked towards the water-filled gravel pit early one morning last week, a sound filled the air that I hadn’t heard since spring–the honking…
Pondering the puzzle bark of ponderosa pine
One of the first conifers I learned to identify after moving to Boundary County was the majestic ponderosa pine, mainly because of the bark. I…
How can a weed smell so sweet?
Do you remember the first time you smelled the pleasant aroma of alpine fir, labrador tea or cottonwood sap? I won’t forgot the first time…
Orchids aren’t just tropical flowers, they also grow in Idaho and Alaska
Wandering through the woods looking for spring flowers a few years ago, I stumbled across a small pinkish-purple flower on a stem no more than…
Cactus: More than a prickly pincushion
The ability to survive and thrive in a sun-scorched land with little water has been perfected by the cactus. Located only in portions of the…
Palm trees more than a symbol of the tropics
Palm trees typically evoke images of tropical islands with white sandy beaches and turquoise blue water. However, palm trees grow in other places besides tropical…
Pacific Yew: Thriving in the shadows of towering conifers
In the dim light below canopies of towering Douglas-fir, spruce, cedar or hemlock, the little-known Pacific yew resides. Unlike most other trees that rocket towards…
Arctic Strawberries
A rare treat above the Arctic Circle–fresh-picked strawberries. After keeping a close eye on a secret patch of wild strawberries, the first red ones appeared…
First Fireweed
Yesterday, I noticed the first fireweed showcasing its lower flowers. As summer progresses, the flowers will continue to open until they reach the top. Then…
Exploring the tiaga
With 24 hours of daylight, plants are flourishing and flowering. They have a brief window of warmth and sunshine to flower and produce seed for…