Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • sweet, foraging, food, berries, fruit, botany, nature, natural, beauty, beautiful, color, green, beauty, plant, beautiful, blooming, white, flora, wild, plants, fresh, color, plant, botany, native, wildflowers, wildflower, West Coast, flora, hairy, furry, hair, hairs, Gaultheria shallon, leathery, shrub, heather, Ericaceae, native, North America, salal, shallon, Gaultheria, Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Asterids, Ericales, Ericaceae, Gaultheria, , Gaultheria shallon, dicot, Ericaceae, perennial, shrub, subshrub
    Salal Berries
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • 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 Flower
  • 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 Flower
  • huckleberry, Angiosperms, background, beautiful, beauty, berry, berries, botany, color, edible, Eudicots, field, flora, flower, flowers, food, food source, fresh, fruit, green, native, natural, nature, plant, Plantae, plants, red, ripe, spring, summer, sweet, tasty, Washington, wild, wildflowers, yummy, flora, forage, foraging, red, Vaccinium parvifolium, red blueberry, red huckleberry, Ericaceae, heath, deciduous, shrub, Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Asterids, Ericales, Ericaceae, Vaccinium, V. parvifolium, Vaccinium parvifolium, Dicot, Ericaceae, Perennial, red bilberry, red whortleberry, red huckleberry, red whortleberry, red, edible, tasty, foraging
    Red Huckleberry-10
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 Flower
  • orchid, native, terrestrial, beautiful, beauty, natural, nature, botany, orchid, plant, flower, Orchidaceae,  beautiful, beauty, bloom, blooming, blooms, blossom, blossoms, botany, bud, color, field, flora, floral, flower, flowers, fresh, green, macro, natural, nature, plant, plants, terrestrial, wild, wildflowers, flora, wild, bog candles, Platanthera dilatata, Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora, Plantae, Tracheophytes, Angiosperms, Monocots, Asparagales, Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae, Platanthera, Platanthera dilatata, Habenaria dilatata, Limnorchis dilatata, Orchis dilatata, Piperia dilatata, tall white bog orchid, bog orchid, white, green, Monocot, Orchidaceae, Perennial, Forb, herb, scent bottle, bog candle, boreal bog orchid, white orchid, white rein orchid, Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora, white bog-orchid, leafy white orchis, scentbottle
    Platanthera dilitata var. albiflora-...jpg
  • orchid, native, terrestrial, beautiful, beauty, natural, nature, botany, orchid, plant, flower, Orchidaceae,  beautiful, beauty, bloom, blooming, blooms, blossom, blossoms, botany, bud, color, field, flora, floral, flower, flowers, fresh, green, macro, natural, nature, plant, plants, terrestrial, wild, wildflowers, flora, wild, bog candles, Platanthera dilatata, Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora, Plantae, Tracheophytes, Angiosperms, Monocots, Asparagales, Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae, Platanthera, Platanthera dilatata, Habenaria dilatata, Limnorchis dilatata, Orchis dilatata, Piperia dilatata, tall white bog orchid, bog orchid, white, green, Monocot, Orchidaceae, Perennial, Forb, herb, scent bottle, bog candle, boreal bog orchid, white orchid, white rein orchid, Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora, white bog-orchid, leafy white orchis, scentbottle
    Platanthera dilitata var. albiflora-...jpg
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. This one was found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • Tough and beautiful! One of the toughest plants in all of North America, the bitterroot is also one of the prettiest. The bitterroot grows natively in all the western continental states (excluding Arizona), including Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, where it remains dormant for most of the year buried under snow, ice, and completely dried up in hot desert sand. In late spring to early summer, this ground-hugging perennial of the sagebrush deserts and plains puts out one of the most incredible white to bright pink flowers, that shows in very sharp contrast to the surrounding habitat. These were found growing at the top of some of the hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain near the Columbia River in Eastern Washington.
    Bitterroot
  • 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 Flower
  • 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 Flower
  • 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 Flower
  • 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 Flower
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • Although not native to North America, this European native everlasting sweet pea is found all over North America, such as this one growing on the western side of Larch Mountain just outside of Portland Oregon.
    Everlasting Sweet Pea
  • This parasitic plant in Florida's Ocala National Forest gets its nourishment from tree roots. It flowers in the fall - popping out of the ground like a mushroom, flowers, then turns black and dies.
    Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
  • This particularly beautiful specimen of a the seep monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata) is a favorite of our native bumble bees which it relies on heavily for pollination, but is also known to self-pollinate when there aren't enough bees. This particular one was found in Kent, Washington in the wetlands around Soos Creek on a warm, sunny day.
    Seep Monkeyflower
  • This parasitic plant in the Ocala National Forest gets its nourishment from tree roots. It flowers in the fall - popping out of the ground like a mushroom, flowers, then turns black and dies.
    Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
  • While not an orchid, mushroom, fungus, or anything related, the delicately beautiful Indian Pipes  - also known as the ghost plant - is actually a parasitic plant called a saprophyte. This unusual plant feeds on decaying tree roots and is found in very rich and old forests, but I have found them growing in Central Florida in an oak/palmetto scrub. Since they do not require sunlight to grow, they are most often found in the darkest parts of the forests where there is also a lot of moisture present. Therefore they do not need to be green (contain chlorophyll) to convert sunlight into energy.
    Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
  • Bluehearts are a very common wildflower in Florida and are always a welcome sight!
    Bluehearts
  • Also known as Virginia glasswort or pickleweed, this interesting saltwater-loving member of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) can be found in many seaside habitats with saltwater on the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Extremely tough, it can grow in acidic, neutral and very alkaline soils, and new studies show that the seeds contain 32% fat, which means it has the potential for commercial use in the production of biofuel. Even more interesting and important, if it can be used commercially, this plant is a halophyte - meaning it doesn't require saltwater for irrigation so in the right conditions it might be grown anywhere. These dense mat of American glasswort was found growing in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    American Glasswort (Salicornia virgi..ica)
  • Also known as Virginia glasswort or pickleweed, this interesting saltwater-loving member of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) can be found in many seaside habitats with saltwater on the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Extremely tough, it can grow in acidic, neutral and very alkaline soils, and new studies show that the seeds contain 32% fat, which means it has the potential for commercial use in the production of biofuel. Even more interesting and important, if it can be used commercially, this plant is a halophyte - meaning it doesn't require saltwater for irrigation so in the right conditions it might be grown anywhere. These dense mat of American glasswort was found growing in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    American Glasswort (Salicornia virgi..ica)
  • Also known as Virginia glasswort or pickleweed, this interesting saltwater-loving member of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) can be found in many seaside habitats with saltwater on the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Extremely tough, it can grow in acidic, neutral and very alkaline soils, and new studies show that the seeds contain 32% fat, which means it has the potential for commercial use in the production of biofuel. Even more interesting and important, if it can be used commercially, this plant is a halophyte - meaning it doesn't require saltwater for irrigation so in the right conditions it might be grown anywhere. These dense mat of American glasswort was found growing in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    American Glasswort (Salicornia virgi..ica)
  • Just about nobody notices the tiny, delicate green flowers of the stinging nettle. And they usually don't even notice this common North American native woodland plant at all until they walk through a patch of it with bare legs or bare feet, when the intense itching and burning starts when the sharp needles that cover the leaves puncture the skin. The good thing is that the pain goes away after about 5 or 10 minutes. This one was found in full flower in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Stinging Nettle Flowers
  • 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 next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-3
  • 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-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
  • When looking at the flower of the Himalayan blackberry, it's easy to see that it actually is a member of the rose family. A favorite of bees and loads of other wildlife who love the delicious sweet blackberries that come later in the summer, this highly invasive import which is actually from the Armenia area (not sure where the  Himalayan part of the name comes from)  thrives in the Pacific Northwest and is a major pest for gardeners and forest stewards all over the region. This one was found in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington on a beautiful summer afternoon.
    Himalayan Blackberry Flowers
  • 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)
  • These beautiful bright-red rose hips are the fruit of the native Wood's wild rose (Rosa woodsii), found throughout all of the western states and all of Canada (except the Maritime Provinces). Often ignored by everyone except wild food foragers, these rose hips are high in vitamin C and E and can be used to make excellent teas, jams, jellies, and even wine! I have personally used them along with wild apples to make a delicious autumn compote! These were found nearing full ripeness just outside of Olympia, Washington next to the Henderson Inlet.
    Wild Rose Hips (Rosa woodsii)
  • Also known as the orange mountain dandelion, this native relative to the (non-native) common dandelion is found across most of Western Canada and the United States in mountain valleys and subalpine altitudes. The leaves are edible and can be used for fermented beverages! This one was found and photographed in the mountains above Aspen, Colorado in Pitkin County on a hot summer day.
    Orange Agoseris
  • Also known as the orange mountain dandelion, this native relative to the (non-native) common dandelion is found across most of Western Canada and the United States in mountain valleys and subalpine altitudes. The leaves are edible and can be used for fermented beverages! This one was found and photographed in the mountains above Aspen, Colorado in Pitkin County on a hot summer day.
    Orange Agoseris
  • 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
  • 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 on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-1
  • 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)
  • These beautiful bright-red rose hips are the fruit of the native Wood's wild rose (Rosa woodsii), found throughout all of the western states and all of Canada (except the Maritime Provinces). Often ignored by everyone except wild food foragers, these rose hips are high in vitamin C and E and can be used to make excellent teas, jams, jellies, and even wine! I have personally used them along with wild apples to make a delicious autumn compote! These were found nearing full ripeness just outside of Olympia, Washington next to the Henderson Inlet.
    Wild Rose Hips (Rosa woodsii)
  • This beautiful native morning glory can be found in every state and province in North America in scattered populations across the United States and Canada. Commonly associated with salt or freshwater marshes and ranging in colors from pink, white with pink stripes to pure white, these beautiful summer bloomers grow on long herbaceous (non-woody) vines. This one was found growing in a thick patch next to a creek that was emptying into Henderson Inlet near Olympia, Washington, which is connects to the Puget Sound.
    Hedge Morning Glory (Calystegia sepium)
  • The highly controversial and extremely invasive Himalayan blackberry is might be considered the classic success story if looked at from the the view of this extremely aggressive invasive plant. Why it is called the Himalayan blackberry is a mystery to me, but it originally comes from Armenia and Iran. Introduced to the East Coast of the United States in 1885, it is believed it was confused with a similar European species of blackberry and with the help of local birds who absolutely love the berries, it had reached reached the West Coast of North America. This plant grows fast, easily outcompetes native foliage and is extremely tough to eradicate. On the plus side, this particular blackberry puts out bumper-crops of blackberries every summer that are absolutely delicious. I often see bushes laid out flat on the ground under the weight of all the berries. These were found growing in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
  • This beautiful native morning glory can be found in every state and province in North America in scattered populations across the United States and Canada. Commonly associated with salt or freshwater marshes and ranging in colors from pink, white with pink stripes to pure white, these beautiful summer bloomers grow on long herbaceous (non-woody) vines. This one was found growing in a thick patch next to a creek that was emptying into Henderson Inlet near Olympia, Washington, which is connects to the Puget Sound.
    Hedge Morning Glory (Calystegia sepium)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Found almost everywhere in North America (except Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida) this aggressive native aster has become invasive in parts of China, Japan and Europe. This perfect specimen was found near Soos Creek in Kent, Washington about 20 miles south of Seattle.
    Canada Goldenrod
  • A close-up view of the interesting fused leaves that form a disk around the honeysuckles flowers (or buds in this case). This native vine is found all over much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle Buds
  • This plant needs no introduction to most of us. I learned about it the hard way while unknowingly walking through a huge patch of it in shorts. While not native to North America, this "uncomfortable" is an unfortunate import from Europe, Asia and Western Africa where it has been stinging people and animals forever and now can be found growing in every state (except Hawaii) and province of the United States, Canada, and even in parts of Northern Mexico. As an act of delicious revenge, when the leaves of the stinging nettle are added to boiling water, the tiny stinging hairs break down resulting in a very healthy and nourishing food source, similar to cooked spinach. This one was found growing above the forrest cliffs of Whidbey Island in Washington State's Puget Sound.
    StingingNettle2020-1.jpg
  • The desert Indian paintbrush is a common springtime bloomer throughout much of the American Southwest. This bright scarlet specimen was found growing in the dry sand on a canyon in Utah's Zion National Park.
    Desert Indian Paintbrush
  • Getting their name from the sweet nectar produced by their beautiful bright red-orange flowers and tube-like flowers, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. These were found growing on a bright summer day overlooking the Puget Sound on Fidalgo Island in Washington State.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • Getting their name from the sweet nectar produced by their beautiful bright red-orange flowers and tube-like flowers, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. These were found growing on a bright summer day overlooking the Puget Sound on Fidalgo Island in Washington State.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • Close-up of the tiny green flowers of the stinging nettle. While not native to North America, this "uncomfortable" is an unfortunate import from Europe, Asia and Western Africa where it has been stinging people and animals forever and now can be found growing in every state (except Hawaii) and province of the United States, Canada, and even in parts of Northern Mexico. As an act of delicious revenge, when the leaves of the stinging nettle are added to boiling water, the tiny stinging hairs break down resulting in a very healthy and nourishing food source, similar to cooked spinach. This one was found growing above the forrest cliffs of Whidbey Island in Washington State's Puget Sound.
    StingingNettle2020-3.jpg
  • These gorgeous spring bloomers are perfectly adapted to finding the best sources of water in the desert. By growing wedged into these cracks, they can tap into the parts of the canyon walls that retain the most water since the last rain, as seen here in Utah's Zion National Park.
    Eastwood Indian Paintbrush
  • A desert specialist, the Eastwood paintbrush thrives in the cracks in canyon walls of Zion National Park, and blooms a vibrant scarlet in the springtime.
    Eastwood Indian Paintbrush
  • Close-up of the tiny green flowers of the stinging nettle. While not native to North America, this "uncomfortable" is an unfortunate import from Europe, Asia and Western Africa where it has been stinging people and animals forever and now can be found growing in every state (except Hawaii) and province of the United States, Canada, and even in parts of Northern Mexico. As an act of delicious revenge, when the leaves of the stinging nettle are added to boiling water, the tiny stinging hairs break down resulting in a very healthy and nourishing food source, similar to cooked spinach. This one was found growing above the forrest cliffs of Whidbey Island in Washington State's Puget Sound.
    StingingNettle2020-2.jpg
  • Eastwood Indian paintbrushes thrive in arid, rocky canyons. This one was growing out of a crevice high up a rocky wall in Zion National Park.
    Eastwood Indian Paintbrush
  • The  Eastwood Indian paintbrush has found a special niche in its harsh desert environment in which to thrive. They are found almost exclusively in cracks and crevices in the canyon walls of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.
    Eastwood Indian Paintbrush
  • A favorite food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and moths, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • A favorite food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and moths, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • A close-up view of the interesting fused leaves that form a disk around the honeysuckles flowers (or buds in this case). This native vine is found all over much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle Buds
  • One of the several wild roses found in the Pacific Northwest, the Woods' rose often prefers a drier habitat, and is often found along riversides and streams, such as this one that was found growing in Kent, WA.
    Woods' Rose (Rosa woodsii)
  • Found only along the Pacific coastline of Oregon and California, this beautiful pale purple to blue iris is found in wet habitats with fresh water, often in forested and open areas near the beach. This one was found growing in a small ravine where a small creek was flowing into a tidal pool below on Cape Perpetua on the Oregon Coast.
    Douglas Iris
  • Found only along the Pacific coastline of Oregon and California, this beautiful pale purple to blue iris is found in wet habitats with fresh water, often in forested and open areas near the beach. This one was found growing in a small ravine where a small creek was flowing into a tidal pool below on Cape Perpetua on the Oregon Coast.
    Douglas Iris
  • Also known as the Rainier violet and desert pansy, the sagebrush violet is a stunningly beautiful member of the viola family that is only found in the dry sagebrush deserts of Oregon and Washington State in the early spring where melting snow leaves moist patches in the soil. This one was found growing on the hilltops just outside of Yakima, Washington in mid-March.
    Sagebrush Violet
  • This highly attractive terrestrial snail can be found near streams in the rainy forests of the Pacific Northwest from California to Alaska, and is mainly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) during the wet spring and fall. This particularly colorful individual was found by lucky accident in Oregon's Cascade Mountains just east of Eugene.
    Pacific Sideband Snail
  • The prairie coneflower is a very beautiful member of the daisy family and is found nearly all across North America except Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Kentucky, Virginia and Northeastern United States and Canada and can be found in open prairies and along roadsides. Historically, it has been used as by Native Americans as a cold infusion to treat fever, as an emetic to induce vomiting, and even as an aid to wean nursing babies. The colors of the petals can vary from pure yellow to reddish-brown, or any variation of these colors. Historically, it has been used as by Native Americans as a cold infusion to treat fever, as an emetic to induce vomiting, and even as an aid to wean nursing babies. These were found growing in an open prairie in rural Cibola County in New Mexico, about an hour west of Albuquerque.
    Prairie Coneflower
  • The sparse-flowered bog orchid is an easily overlooked, water-loving orchid with tiny green flowers most often found in wetlands, bogs and marshes. It can be found in most of the western United States with the exception of Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming and can be easily confused with the the many other species of green-flowered Platanthera orchids. Luckily, this species has a sort of "pinched" look to the flowers that all other closely-related species lack. This one was found growing in a wet peat bog with pitcher plants just north of the California border in rural Josephine County, Oregon.
    Sparse-flowered Bog Orchid (Platanth..a)-3
  • With a number of colorful and descriptive common names such as elkweed, green gentian, monument plant, and deer's ears, Frasera speciosa is a tall mountain-loving flowering plant that is hard to mistake for anything else. Found in most of the Western American states, and is commonly eaten by deer, moose, elk, and domestic livestock. Traditionally, the roots were cooked as food and the leaves were smoked a by Native Americans. This one was found blooming in the White River National Forest, just outside of Aspen, Colorado.
    Monument Plant Close-up
  • An exquisitely rare and beautiful native orchid in its natural environment! This mountain lady's-slipper (Cypripedium montanum) was part of a  small colony of individuals in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.
    MountainLadysSlipper -1.jpg
  • An exquisitely rare and beautiful native orchid in its natural environment! This mountain lady's-slipper (Cypripedium montanum) was part of a  small colony of individuals in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.
    MountainLadysSlipper -6.jpg
  • Also known as the early coralroot, the yellow coralroot is unusual compared to other members of the Corallorhiza genus in that it is the only one that produces its own chlorophyll like nearly all green plants (hence the yellowish-green color) and is only partly parasitic on the surrounding plants for its nourishment and nutritional needs. Found all around the Northern Hemisphere, this one was found in an area with several colonies that were mostly finished blooming and starting to go to fruit just outside of Aspen, Colorado in the Rocky Mountains at about 8000-9000 feet in elevation. The curious thing about the ones in this area is that the labellum on each flower was pure white and the rest of the flower and stem was pure yellow.
    Yellow Coralroot (Corallorhiza trifida)
  • The purple-petal bog orchid (also known as the short-spurred bog orchid - a better name!) is another one of those difficult to ID members of the Platanthera family of bog orchids that not only look very similar to other species, they also hybridize to make identification even more confusing and difficult. Even the common name is misleading as the flowers are actually dark green, but some of them can develop a faintly reddish to purplish coloration. The most important keys to identifying this species are the width of the base of the lip, the short length of the spur and thick, blunt and wildly-positioned leaves. This one was part of a small colony found growing in standing water at about 12,000 feet in elevation in the Rocky Mountains at Independence Pass, just east of Aspen, Colorado.
    Purple Petal Bog Orchid (Platanthera..ens)
  • A favorite food source for hummingbirds in the Sonoran Desert, Parry's penstemon (also known as Parry's beardtongue) is a vibrantly pink to fuchsia hardy wildflower found natively in Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico. These tough plants can stand the heat of the desert and the heavy spring rainfalls typical of our southwestern deserts and are only bested by prolonged drought. These were among about a dozen beautiful tall blooming examples found growing in the hills of rural Santa Cruz County in southern Arizona.
    Parry's Penstemon
  • Also known as the checker lily or mission bells, the chocolate lily (Fritillaria lanceolata - fritillaria refers the mottled or checkered pattern on the petals) is a native, somewhat uncommon to rare member of the lily family found in cool mid-elevation mountains to coastal forests ranging from Northern California to British Columbia, and as far east as Idaho. One the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains it can be found growing in open prairies and grassy bluffs. The chocolate lily grows from tiny rice-like bulbs and once was used as a food source to the indigenous people who have lived here for millennia. The Haida, a tribe from British Columbia when first introduced to rice, referred to this new food as "fritillary-teeth." These were part of a large colony found and photographed in the Olympic National Forest next to Lake Cushman on a bright and sunny May spring morning, just west of Hoodsport, Washington.
    Chocolate Lilies
  • The snowball cactus - also known as the mountains ball cactus or Simpson's hedgehog cactus - is very similar to many of the hedgehog cacti of the American Southwest, except this species is found natively only in the arid sagebrush deserts of Oregon and Washington. Sometimes found growing singly or in pairs, they can also form massive clumps of plants and are unfortunately becoming rare in their native habitat due to plant poaching by collectors, which is unfortunate as they don't take to replanting well. This photo was taken just to the west of Vantage, WA in the rural hills near Whiskey Dick Mountain.
    Snowball Cactus (Pediocactus nigrisp..nus)
  • This tall and incredibly spiky member of the poppy family found only in Arizona and New Mexico. This one was found growing along the side of a highway near Sells, Arizona.
    Southwestern Prickly Poppy
  • These very pretty little aquatic wildflowers are native to the American Southeast, and can be found in all the coastal states from Texas to Maryland in calm, still water such as ponds swamps and lakes, and are most abundant in Florida. These are perhaps best known to aquarium hobbyists as "banana plants" due to the thick underwater rhizomes that look lie a small cluster of bananas. These were found is a small pond in a pine scrub woodland just north of Jupiter, Florida.
    Big Floatinghearts
  • The western rattlesnake plantain orchid is a very common and often overlooked beautiful orchid found across all of the western provinces and states on North America (excluding Nevada) and is found natively in all of the eastern Canadian provinces and  reaches south into both Michigan and Maine that is generally associated with conifer forests and mountains that have abundant, deep leaf litter or moss. This one was found growing among many thousands of others blooming in northern Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • The flowers of the western rattlesnake plantain orchid are quite nondescript for an orchid, but up close they are quite beautiful. Unlike other Goodyera orchid species that all look somewhat similar to each other, Goodyera oblongifolia's flowers all tend to face the same direction on the flowering stalk, which appears about mid to late summer, depending on the longitude, altitude and local climate. Each tiny flower is hermaphroditic, meaning they have both female and male parts and most often pollinated by bumble bees. These were found and photographed in Glacier National Park in Northern Montana.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • The giant helleborine orchid (Epipactis gigantea), also commonly known as the stream orchid and even chatterbox is found sporadically throughout the western half of the United States, with a northerly range just barely reaching into Southern British Columbia. It is also the only helleborine native to North America.  Nearly always found in wetlands in a highly variable range of habitats from conifer forests to sagebrush deserts, it also seems to tolerate a wide range of soils. These were found just south the Dry Falls area of Washington's Grant County in multiple places in the Sun Lakes, just at the edge of the water. On this day more than five thousand orchids were in bloom on a scorching hot spring day, most of them (but not all) sheltered by cottonwoods.
    Giant Helleborine Orchid (Epipactis ..tea)
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