Prairie Pepper Grass

Prairie Pepper Grass

Lepidium densiflorum

One of those wayside weeds that one often overlooks and forgets to photograph ...

2011 June 25

2011 June 25

This plant is native to our region.

Coralroot

My neighbour came over to say she found a neat plant back in the bush and wanted me to come see. As we walked she described it to me. I said it sounds like coralroot and it was. I have had them grow in one general area of my front yard over the years we've been here. This year I have only one shoot. I went to email her the link to my site regarding Coralroot only to find I've never written anything up on it. So I'm about to rectify that!

Coralroots cannot be cultivated as they are parasitic and grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil fungi. As a result, they can be found in a place one year and not the next. I notice the one growing in my yard this year isn't in quite the same place as in other years. The coralroot growing in my yard is the Ozette Coralroot but I have also found Spotted Oralroot growing in the woods not far away.

Ozette Coralroot (awaiting confirmation on this)

Corallorhiza maculata var. ozettensis

2009 June 7

2008 June 11

2008 June 14

2008 June 12

2008 July 2

Spotted Coralroot

Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata

2010 June 14

Link: http://www.wanativeorchids.com/Corallorhiza/index.html

Yellow Avens

"Yellow Avens" (Geum aleppicum).

2008 June 2

2008 June 2

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

2007 June 19

I found these growing down where the lake use to be! There doesn't seem to be any interesting tidbits to report on this one ... no juicy gossip from the plant world ... but if I find out anything ... I'll be sure to post an update.

Waterlily

"Yellow Pondlily" (Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata)

2008 May 30

2008 May 30

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

Notice that this pond lily has yellow stamens while it's kissin' cousin (Nuphar luteum ssp. polysepalum) has reddish or purplish stamens.

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 October 29

2009 October 6
Rhizome

2009 October 6

Close up of Rhisome

First Nations collected the rhizomes, peeled, sliced and air-dried them for storage. They would later re-hydrate them and use them as a poultice for aching joints and skin ulcers.

Tiger Lily

"Tiger Lily" (Lilium columbianum)

2008 May 21

2008 June 14

2007 June

2007 June

2007 June

2008 June 24

2008 June 24

2008 June 24

2007 August

2007 August

2007 August

The bulbs of this lily were eaten by most First Nation peoples. The bulbs are reported to have a peppery taste but I haven't tried them myself ... yet. I found the seed pods so interesting ... to see how they gradually become unlaced. Such an artistic way of letting their seeds spew forth! Like undoing their corsets at the end of the day and letting everything spill out!

Salsify

We have two types of Salsify here. These plants are biennial and propagate by seed dispersion. Apparently the roots, young stems and base of lower leaves are edible (see this link). We haven't ventured to try them yet. Salsify is an introduced species.

"Meadow Salsify or Yellow Goat's Beard" (Tragopogon pratensis)

2007 June 19

2007 June 8

2008 June 22

2007 June 27

"Yellow Salsify or Western Goat's Beard" (Tragopogon dubius)

2007 June 18

2008 June 22

Notice that there are 13 floral bracts that extend beyond the flower (Meadow Salsify has only 8 that are pretty much aligned with the flower). The flower is a little paler in yellow than the Meadow Salsify. The foliage is also more blue/gray in color.

2007 June 18

2007 July 20

2008 July 9

2008 July 9