Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Also known as the edible thistle, his Pacific Northwest member of the aster family is found in alpine and subalpine forested mountains. The peeled stems can be eaten, and the flowers and seeds are a common food source for butterflies, bees, and birds. This one was found just below the top of Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains of Washington.
    Indian Thistle
  • Finding this crown-tipped coral fungus in Pensacola, Florida was a very cool find for me as a Florida Native as I was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time and had never seen this type of mushroom east of the Rocky Mountains. This particular species is reported as edible, but as always extreme caution should be used when ingesting any wild mushroom without being absolutely certain what it is you are putting in your mouth. That said, this mushroom is fairly easily found throughout most of North America, excluding the West Coast, and is also common throughout Europe.
    Crown-tipped Coral Fungus
  • Finding this crown-tipped coral fungus in Pensacola, Florida was a very cool find for me as a Florida Native as I was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time and had never seen this type of mushroom east of the Rocky Mountains. This particular species is reported as edible, but as always extreme caution should be used when ingesting any wild mushroom without being absolutely certain what it is you are putting in your mouth. That said, this mushroom is fairly easily found throughout most of North America, excluding the West Coast, and is also common throughout Europe.
    Crown-tipped Coral Fungus
  • Witch's butter (Tremella mesenterica) is a very interesting jelly fungus found most frequently on recently dead wood in wet habitats, such as this one found on a wet winter day in Kent, Washington next to Soos Creek. Considered edible but flavorless, I can't imagine being the person who would be the first to try this slimy and slippery fungus in the first place!
    Witches' Butter-1
  • Witch's butter (Tremella mesenterica) is a very interesting jelly fungus found most frequently on recently dead wood in wet habitats, such as this one found on a wet winter day in Kent, Washington next to Soos Creek. Considered edible but flavorless, I can't imagine being the person who would be the first to try this slimy and slippery fungus in the first place!
    Witches' Butter-2
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Edible Indian plums growing in a wooded area in Southern King County in Washington, ready to eat! These small native fruits grow west of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to California. Caution is recommended as in all wild edibles, as the distinct flavor in these fruits (like that in almonds) comes from high amounts of hydrogen cyanide. Best practice - consume in moderation.
    Indian Plums
  • A perfect specimen of the "old man of the woods" bolete mushroom (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) growing in Goethe State Forest in Central Florida. While edible, many say this native fungus to Europe and North America is delicious, while others say it tastes too much like the forest floor.
    Old Man of the Woods
  • Early springtime in the Pacific Northwest and this dwarf Oregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa) will start to bud soon. They have the most beautiful leaves with holly-like leaflets. Not a grape as we know it, but this native plant produces edible blue berries that are quite sour!
    Dwarf Oregon-Grape Leaves
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • These common native mussels are found along the North America's West Coast from Alaska to Baja California in Mexico, and are found in massive colonies on the rocky coastline, often easily seen at low tide above the waterline. Archeological evidence shows these edible mollusks have been an important food source to humans for the past 12,000 years or more. These barnacle-covered mussels were found at low tide on Crescent Beach on Northern Oregon's Pacific Coast.
    California Mussels
  • Fairly widespread across most of North America, excluding the Southeast and the extreme Northeast, the golden currant is a member of the currant and gooseberry family. In early spring, this plant is covered in hundreds of beautiful small bright yellow flowers. By late spring and early summer, the limbs of this small water-loving shrub become heavily laden with golden yellow/orange edible fruits, such as these growing next to Cowiche Creek, just west of Yakima, Washington.
    Golden Currant
  • A fresh, new western shelf mushroom growing on a moss-covered stump in an virgin forest area in the Hoh Rain Forest. Sometimes known as chicken-of-the-woods, this mushroom is edible and eaten by many.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • This edible and harmless but mostly tasteless pretty bright red fruit with a velvety texture is the end result of a nondescript native forest lily with tiny white flowers after undergoing natural pollination. It can be found in all of the western states (excluding California) and all of the western Canadian provinces including Ontario. This one was found growing next to a small mountain stream in rural Southwestern Montana in Mineral County.
    Rough-fruited Fairybell Berry
  • Looking much like a miniature watermelon, the creeping cucumber is in fact a native cucumber that grows in the American Southeast as far north as Illinois and Pennsylvania and west to Texas and Kansas on long vines with grape-like leaves. While considered edible, it's just one of those things you wouldn't go out of your way to eat. These were found in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Creeping Cucumber
  • One of hundreds of Oregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa) plants in flower along the trail circling Deep Lake near Enumclaw, Washington. As the season progressses, these brilliantly yellow waxy flowers will become a sour, but edible berry that isn't actually a grape.  The dwarf Oregon-grape is very common throughout the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascade Mountains.
    Dwarf Oregon-Grape Flowers
  • Found all around the world's temperate regions and native to Europe and Asia, this very common and well-recognized member of the chicory and aster family is usually known as a weed, pest, or and nuisance. To others it is an important medicinal plant, edible green, and reminder of springtime and summer. This one was found growing in an old coniferous forest with a patch of open ground in Enumclaw, Washington.
    Common Dandelions
  • I found these cool little jelly mushrooms yesterday while looking for bigger Pacific Northwest fungus species to photograph. This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) growing near the summit of the heavily forested Little Mt. Si in North Bend, Washington, showing three distinctive phases of cap growth. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushrooms (Armillaria sp.)
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • One of the most surprising and unusual fungi species to find in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, this worm-like/coral-like white-to-yellow club fungus was only noticed as I stopped to re-tie a boot's laces in Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington. It is reportedly edible, yet also reported to be completely tasteless.
    Fairy Fingers
  • The skunkbush sumac is a very attractive shrub found in all of the states west of the Mississippi River excluding Minnesota, Missouri and Louisiana and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and much of Northern Mexico. When crushed, the leaves emit a strong, unpleasant odor (hence the common name) but the sticky, edible fruit have a sharp, lime-like taste. These berries were found growing in rural Socorro County, about an hour south of Albuquerque, New Mexico on a chilly spring morning.
    Skunkbush Sumac
  • Indian plums ripening in a dark old-growth forest near Enumclaw, WA. The name comes from the fact that local Native Americans historically used these edible small fruits as a food source, as well as the twigs and bark for a number of medicinal uses.
    Indian Plums
  • A close relative of poison ivy, smooth sumac is a very widespread shrub across nearly all of North America (excluding the Arctic and Maritime provinces of Canada) that grows in a wide variety of habitats. The bright red berries (as seen here) follow nondescript green flowers and are not only edible, but provide a bountiful harvest for all kinds of wildlife. One thing particularly beautiful about this native plant are the alternate compound leaves that turn a bright waxy red in the fall.
    Smooth Sumac Berries
  • Golden currents grow in profusion along Cowiche Creek just outside of Yakima, WA. These beautiful flowers when pollinated will produce delicious, edible red currants that are important historically and locally as a food source for people and wildlife.
    Golden Currant
  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • Wax currants in full flower in Cowiche Canyon in Yakima, WA. While these are particularly beautiful, the fruits may cause a burning sensation when eaten. These are often found growing with the closely-related golden currant which is not only edible, but delicious!
    Wax Currant
  • This beautiful and delicate member of the oyster mushroom family is found throughout much of North America, most often found growing on rotting logs and stumps of hemlock trees and other conifers, such as this one growing in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest. Although sometimes expressed as edible, caution is advised because of a string of recent deaths as a result of angel wings mushrooms.
    Angel Wings
  • The strange and wonderful orange jelly mushroom grows on conifers and is found throughout North America in the spring and summer. For the brave - it is also edible, although it is recommended (not by me) to be boiled or steamed rather than applied to direct heat.
    Orange Jelly
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-7.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-4.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-3.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-10.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-9.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-8.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-6.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-5.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-2.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-1.jpg
  • Golden currants ripening in the late afternoon sunshine in Cowiche Canyon, just to the west of Yakima, WA. These native wild edibles were (and still are) used as food for many of the Native American tribes across North America.
    Golden Currant
  • A female American bullfrog cools off in a pool of water on the edge of the Middle Saluda River just outside of Cleveland, South Carolina on a hot spring day.
    American Bullfrog
  • One of the first flowers to be seen in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the Indian plum fills the forest with clusters of beautiful showy white flowers that soon develop small berries that turn from peach to red and finally dark blue or purple when ripe. Although not really a plum, it is a unique fruit that is pleasantly similar in taste to cherries or watermelon. Historically, local Native American tribes would mix these berries with generous amounts of oolichan (an oil from a local oily fish - similar to a smelt) and was popular at feasts. The bark was also used as a medicinal tea. This one was one fo the first of the season, showing itself along side Soos Creek in Kent, Washington, about 25 miles south of Seattle on a chilly, wet March afternoon.
    Indian Plum Blossoms
  • A near-perfect specimen of Ganoderma applanatum, which goes by many common names around the world such as artist's conk, artist's bracket, artist's fungus and bear bread. It gets it's name from the white pore-covered underside of the fruiting body (the shelf-like structure that's visible) that can be scratched off with a stick, and has been used as a "canvas" for drawings and writing for centuries. This one was found in rural Levy County, Florida in Goethe State Forest on a beautiful mid-November morning.
    Artist's Bracket - 3
  • The American red raspberry is an incredibly delicious native and wild fruit found throughout every Canadian province and territory, as well as every American state except for Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii, and all of the Gulf Coast states. Most could argue that they are even tastier than the commercially grown raspberries found in grocery stores! These were found growing in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    American Red Raspberry 2
  • Ganoderma oregonense, and other closely-related members of the Ganoderma genus are much-revered for their medicinal properties in the East, where they've been used for millennia by the Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. as a cure for a plethora of symptoms and diseases. Found in supporting habitats all over the world (excluding Antarctica) this one was found growing in the Mount Rainier Wilderness area, just outside of Mount Rainier National Park near the town of Carbonado in Washington State.
    West Coast Reishi (Ganoderma oregonense)
  • Ganoderma oregonense, and other closely-related members of the Ganoderma genus are much-revered for their medicinal properties in the East, where they've been used for millennia by the Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. as a cure for a plethora of symptoms and diseases. Found in supporting habitats all over the world (excluding Antarctica) this one was found growing in the Mount Rainier Wilderness area, just outside of Mount Rainier National Park near the town of Carbonado in Washington State.
    West Coast Reishi (Ganoderma oregonense)
  • Holly-like and beautiful, this member of the barberry family is just about to blossom on a cold, wet rainy March morning along a nature trail about 25 miles south of Seattle, Washington. The delicious fruits that will follow (not real grapes) not only grow in great profusion, but are a very important food source for native wildlife!
    Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
  • Holly-like and beautiful, this member of the barberry family is just about to blossom on a cold, wet rainy March morning along a nature trail about 25 miles south of Seattle, Washington. The delicious fruits that will follow (not real grapes) not only grow in great profusion, but are a very important food source for native wildlife!
    Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
  • With many common names including the shrimp russula, shrimp mushroom, and shellfish-scented russula, this excellent-tasting and beautifully purple to burgundy russula mushroom smells very strongly like shrimp, even more so as it matures in its native forest habitat in the cooler months of the year. This one was found not by sight, but by the distinct shellfish aroma coming from the other side of a fallen tree in the mountains above Enumclaw, Washington on a cold and rainy late-October afternoon.
    Shrimp Russula
  • "There's gold in them thar hills!" When you think of gold in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, no one is thinking of the metal that drove thousands of thrill seekers and would-be millionaires into the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, they are thinking of the absolutely wonderful and delicious Pacific golden chanterelle. Extremely important commercially, this wonderful culinary treat is found from southern Alaska to Central California and is hard to miss in the damp forests in the cooler months, where they tend to be found in profusion. These were found on a wet, cold October afternoon, deep in the forested mountains of rural Pierce County in Western Washington.
    Pacific Golden Chanterelle-1
  • "There's gold in them thar hills!" When you think of gold in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, no one is thinking of the metal that drove thousands of thrill seekers and would-be millionaires into the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, they are thinking of the absolutely wonderful and delicious Pacific golden chanterelle. Extremely important commercially, this wonderful culinary treat is found from southern Alaska to Central California and is hard to miss in the damp forests in the cooler months, where they tend to be found in profusion. These were found on a wet, cold October afternoon, deep in the forested mountains of rural Pierce County in Western Washington.
    Pacific Golden Chanterelle-2
  • A near-perfect specimen of Ganoderma applanatum, which goes by many common names around the world such as artist's conk, artist's bracket, artist's fungus and bear bread. It gets it's name from the white pore-covered underside of the fruiting body (the shelf-like structure that's visible) that can be scratched off with a stick, and has been used as a "canvas" for drawings and writing for centuries. This one was found in rural Levy County, Florida in Goethe State Forest on a beautiful mid-November morning.
    Artist's Bracket - 1
  • A near-perfect specimen of Ganoderma applanatum, which goes by many common names around the world such as artist's conk, artist's bracket, artist's fungus and bear bread. It gets it's name from the white pore-covered underside of the fruiting body (the shelf-like structure that's visible) that can be scratched off with a stick, and has been used as a "canvas" for drawings and writing for centuries. This one was found in rural Levy County, Florida in Goethe State Forest on a beautiful mid-November morning.
    Artist's Bracket - 2
  • The American red raspberry is an incredibly delicious native and wild fruit found throughout every Canadian province and territory, as well as every American state except for Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii, and all of the Gulf Coast states. Most could argue that they are even tastier than the commercially grown raspberries found in grocery stores! These were found growing in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    American Red Raspberry 1
  • The American red raspberry is an incredibly delicious native and wild fruit found throughout every Canadian province and territory, as well as every American state except for Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Hawaii, and all of the Gulf Coast states. Most could argue that they are even tastier than the commercially grown raspberries found in grocery stores! These were found growing in the mountains above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington on a hot summer day.
    American Red Raspberry 3
  • Perhaps one of the most delicious wild berries one can ever find, the wild strawberry is about a half-inch wide, deep red and has an intense strawberry flavor that no commercially-grown strawberry can come close to reproducing. It is found in the wild in forests across most of Continental North America except the Southeastern States, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nevada and Alaska. This one was found, photographed and consumed for ecological integrity in the foothills of Mount Rainier above the Carbon River in Washington State.
    Wild Strawberry
  • An important food crop of the tropics and the symbol a beach vacation in paradise, these palms are not native to Florida and the United States, but do grow easily from coconuts that often wash ashore. These two coconut palms were loaded with ripening fruit. Be careful when walking under them on a windy day!
    Coconut Palms
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-7
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-2
  • Also known as the holly-leaved Oregon grape, this member of the Mahonia genus can tolerate drier conditions than other native Oregon grape shrubs and is easily recognized by the distinctive waxy, holly-like leaves as well as the height it can grow - almost 9 feet tall! This one was was found growing in a forest near Olympia, Washington, heavy with fruit. While the fruit can be delicious, tart, pleasing and can be made into delicious jellies, jams and wines, caution must be taken as high doses of Oregon-grapes can cause nose-bleeds, kidney inflammation,  shortness of breath, or worse.
    Shining Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifo..ium)
  • Considered to be the very best pie and jam blackberry, the native trailing blackberry (also called the Pacific blackberry, Douglas berry or and combinations of <fill-in-the-blank> dewberry, the small but very sweet hiker's treat is usually found low to the ground on vines that seem to grow over everything like logs, rocks and through thick mats of vegetation that can grow up to 15 feet long or more! These were found in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-6
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-5
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-4
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-1
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-3
  • Considered to be the very best pie and jam blackberry, the native trailing blackberry (also called the Pacific blackberry, Douglas berry or and combinations of <fill-in-the-blank> dewberry, the small but very sweet hiker's treat is usually found low to the ground on vines that seem to grow over everything like logs, rocks and through thick mats of vegetation that can grow up to 15 feet long or more! This not-quite-ripe-yet blackberry was found in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
  • Also known as heal-all, self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) is a beautiful member of the mint family common all over much of North America all the way up to the Arctic Circle as an important medicinal plant. It is used for a variety of uses in many countries across the globe: it can be eaten fresh as a salad or cooked in soups and stews, a refreshing tea or as a olive-green dye. Medicinally, it is used for the treatment of wounds, ulcers, sores and is known to have antibacterial properties. This beauty was found in full flower in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
  • Also known as the holly-leaved Oregon grape, this member of the Mahonia genus can tolerate drier conditions than other native Oregon grape shrubs and is easily recognized by the distinctive waxy, holly-like leaves as well as the height it can grow - almost 9 feet tall! While the fruit can be delicious, tart, pleasing and can be made into delicious jellies, jams and wines, caution must be taken as high doses of Oregon-grapes can cause nose-bleeds, kidney inflammation,  shortness of breath, or worse. This one was was found growing in a forest near Olympia, Washington, heavy with fruit.
    Shining Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifo..ium)
  • Among the first flowers to bloom each year, these beautiful white hanging flowers are a sign that spring is right around the corner. These were photographed at the edge of a wetland forest near Salem, Oregon on a rainy, chilly mid-March morning. In a few months, these flowers will be replaces with small purplish plums: a staple for the local, native wildlife.
    Indian Plum
  • This South African native succulent perennial with its very attractive bright pink and/or yellow flowers has found its way to both California and Florida thanks to the ornamental plant industry and has particularly found a foothold along Southern California highways, earning it the nickname "highway ice plant." Originally used as a soil stabilizer due to its matting, ground-cover nature it has unexpectedly spread into several sensitive ecological habitats such as coastal communities and desert dune habitats where it quickly outgrows and outcompetes threatened and endangered plants. This one was found growing in a sprawling mat across the sandy beach in Los Angeles, California next to the Del Rey Lagoon.
    Ice Plant Flowers
  • A fresh, beautiful example of these vibrant shelf mushrooms growing on a tree near La Push, Washington just into the trees on Rialto Beach.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • I've been watching these thimbleberries in the Seattle area since they were white flowers surrounded by buzzing bees.
    Ripening Wild Thimbleberries
  • The odd little bright yellowish-orange cone-shaped mushrooms can be found growing out of the cracks on coniferous deadwood, stumps, logs from the Rocky Mountains and West, often found in spring when the snow is melting. This colony was photographed next to a waterfall on West Tiger Mountain  in Western Washington.
    Golden Jelly Cone
  • One of the most delicious wild mountain berries of the Western United States and Canada, these serviceberries (also called the saskatoons) are slightly past their prime - probably as they were just out of reach of the local herd of bighorn sheep that regularly roam this rural mountain slope of Mineral County, Montana. Bad news for the hungry wildlife, but good news for the future serviceberry seedlings!
    Serviceberries aka Saskatoons
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-4.jpg
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-2.jpg
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-1.jpg
  • Among the first flowers to bloom each year, these beautiful white hanging flowers are a sign that spring is right around the corner. These were photographed at the edge of a wetland forest near Salem, Oregon on a rainy, chilly mid-March morning. In a few months, these flowers will be replaces with small purplish plums: a staple for the local, native wildlife.
    Indian Plum
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. This perfectly rip one was found (and eaten) above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberry
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
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