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  • Wild coffee is a very beautiful plant found in the southern half of Florida and throughout the Caribbean Islands. While wild coffee is in the same family as true coffee, these bright red berries only look very similar to ripe coffee berries, but they do not contain any caffeine and attempts to roast the dried berries and have only resulted in a headache-inducing beverage with a terrible taste. These were photographed growing wild in West Palm County, Florida.
    Wild Coffee
  • Wild coffee is a very beautiful plant found in the southern half of Florida and throughout the Caribbean Islands. While wild coffee is in the same family as true coffee, these bright red berries only look very similar to ripe coffee berries, but they do not contain any caffeine and attempts to roast the dried berries and have only resulted in a headache-inducing beverage with a terrible taste. These were photographed growing wild in West Palm County, Florida.
    Wild Coffee
  • 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
  • This is a perfect specimen of the wild ginger found in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. This one was found near the western shore of Lake Wenatchee in the Cascade Mountains in the state of Washington. This unusual flower is pollinated by ants and is usually found in wet forests in huge mats that cover the forest floor.
    Long-tailed Wild Ginger
  • These wild southern fox grapes, also more popularly known as muscadine grapes, are the wild and natural progenitors of the commercially important and harvested varietal grapes used for making jams and wines. These wild grapes were photographed in Southwest Florida's Fakahatchee Strand - where I regularly snack/gorge on them during the summer when they are are their peak ripeness in the swamps. Delicious!
    Wild Grapes of the Florida Everglades
  • 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)
  • 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 is one of the strangest things ever .... six wild boars roamed into our suburban Fort Myers, Florida yard and had a blast rolling in the dried up, muddy canal in the back yard. I was out there with my cameras and a couple of lenses, and it was the first time I was able to get close to them. In fact - some got so close that I couldn't get a clear shot because I was using a zoom lens! Then I did something dumb. I put out my hand to see if one would come close enough for me to be able to say I actually touched a wild boar. Four of them let me scratch them and leaned into me like a pet dog would! They loved it! It was incredible!!!! I have since then been called the "Pig Whisperer" as a result.
    Wild Boar
  • Close-up of a wild coco growing in the Fakahatchee Strand. These large flowers can vary in color and shape from one plant to another.
    Wild Coco Orchid (Eulophia alta)
  • Photographed from above in the Estero Bay Preserve, the wild coco is one of the most spectacular and common terrestrial orchids to be found in Southern Florida.
    Wild Coco Orchid (Eulophia alta)
  • Wild coco growing in the Estero Bay Preserve in Lee County, Florida. This classic roadside orchid is regularly found in fall and winter, and can reach up to three feet in height.
    Wild Coco Orchid (Eulophia alta)
  • Beautifully colored form of the wild coco orchid. This one was found growing next to a ditch in Charlotte County, Florida.
    Wild Coco Orchid (Eulophia alta)
  • Family of wild boars near the southern shore of Charlotte Harbor, Florida. These wild pigs have really become common in recent years - largely due to a decrease in the panther population.
    Wild Boar
  • Wild boar patiently watched - camera in hand - until it came up to investigate.
    Wild Boar
  • Wild pennyroyal grows almost everywhere in SW Florida that is dry and sandy - particularly around palmettos. It also makes a wonderful tea!
    Wild Pennyroyal
  • Pigs are pigs - and this boar just went hog wild in a mud puddle in Lee County, Florida.
    Wild Boar
  • A mixed bumblebee (Bombus mixtus) is busily feeding on the nectar of wild purple sage in the sagebrush steppe of White Pass, a dry desert-like canyon west of Yakima, Washington.
    Mixed Bumblebee
  • These bison are a part of a free-ranging, currently publicly-owned herd of wild bison (commonly and incorrectly called buffalo) on Antelope Island, Utah that number upwards of 700 or more individuals. The habitat is perfect, as there are no wolves, bears or other apex predators, and the only limit to population is the amount of land that can support them.
    Utah's American Bison - The Purest i..ica?
  • I've been watching these thimbleberries in the Seattle area since they were white flowers surrounded by buzzing bees.
    Ripening Wild Thimbleberries
  • Native to Europe, this strikingly beautiful blue wildflower is now found growing wild all across North America and is a very important food for livestock, and as a coffee substitute or coffee-additive. Anyone familiar with some of the wonderful coffees from the New Orleans area will be very familiar with chicory coffee, which is very similar with a somewhat nutty taste, that is made from the roasted and ground roots. This one was found growing wild in at the edge of a field in Northern Arkansas.
    Chicory
  • A perfect trio of flowers of the anacahuita, also known as the wild Texas olive, growing in a field in Harlingen, Texas. This member of the borage family is native to northeast Mexico and only is found in the United States in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas. This tree provides fruit and pollen for many types of wildlife - especially hummingbirds! A jelly can be made from the olive-like fruit.
    Anacahuita (Cordia boissieri)
  • As far as foliage goes, it's hard to beat the beautifully variegated, spiky leaves of the Mexican prickly poppy. As in most wild poppies, it has and intensely colorful bright flower - in this case yellow. Native to Mexico and spreading northward into the central and eastern United States, it has now been found growing in the wild in parts of Ontario and Manitoba where the soil is dry and there is plenty of sunlight! This one was found growing by the banks of the Rio Grande on the US-Mexico border near Alamo, Texas.
    Mexican Prickly Poppy (Argemone mexi..ana)
  • As far as foliage goes, it's hard to beat the beautifully variegated, spiky leaves of the Mexican prickly poppy. As in most wild poppies, it has and intensely colorful bright flower - in this case yellow. Native to Mexico and spreading northward into the central and eastern United States, it has now been found growing in the wild in parts of Ontario and Manitoba where the soil is dry and there is plenty of sunlight! This one was found growing by the banks of the Rio Grande on the US-Mexico border near Alamo, Texas.
    Mexican Prickly Poppy (Argemone mexi..ana)
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-15.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-10.jpg
  • Close-up view of the leaves of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-8.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-7.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-4.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-3.jpg
  • 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
  • My favorite palm! The paurotis palm is a wonderfully beautiful palm that I have a personal connection to. As I was starting to build my photography business back when I was still living back home in Southwest Florida, I worked in a plant nursery and planted many hundreds of palm trees all over the Fort Myers/Naples area. My favorite was this slender, attractive Caribbean palm found in the wild from the Florida Everglades and the Bahamas, south to Mexico, Central America and as far south as Colombia. The only species in its genus, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - grows to about 15' to 25' tall in wet habitats and can grow into very rich and shaded thickets form wildlife havens for many species throughout the tropics. These wild paurotis palms were found in Everglades National Park in their natural habitat.
    Paurotis Palm
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The parrot gladiolus is one of the ever-increasing number of once-invasive, now naturalized species of plants that have become wild and are commonly found throughout parts of North America. This gladiolus is native to South Africa and are becoming increasingly common throughout the American Southeast. This one was photographed south of Thomasville, Georgia. The largest populations I've seen in the wild were in the salt marshes of Florida's northern Gulf Coast.
    Parrot Gladiolus
  • Of all of the wild violets growing in the Cascade Mountains, the stream violet is by far the most common. This huge group of violets growing on the edge of Gold Creek Pond were competing for space with another huge patch of wild mountain strawberries.
    Stream Violet
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-17.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-16.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-18.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-14.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-13.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-12.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-11.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-9.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-6.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-5.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-1.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-2.jpg
  • 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
  • My favorite palm! The paurotis palm is a wonderfully beautiful palm that I have a personal connection to. As I was starting to build my photography business back when I was still living back home in Southwest Florida, I worked in a plant nursery and planted many hundreds of palm trees all over the Fort Myers/Naples area. My favorite was this slender, attractive Caribbean palm found in the wild from the Florida Everglades and the Bahamas, south to Mexico, Central America and as far south as Colombia. The only species in its genus, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - grows to about 15' to 25' tall in wet habitats and can grow into very rich and shaded thickets form wildlife havens for many species throughout the tropics. These wild paurotis palms were found in Everglades National Park in their natural habitat.
    Paurotis Palm
  • My favorite palm! The paurotis palm is a wonderfully beautiful palm that I have a personal connection to. As I was starting to build my photography business back when I was still living back home in Southwest Florida, I worked in a plant nursery and planted many hundreds of palm trees all over the Fort Myers/Naples area. My favorite was this slender, attractive Caribbean palm found in the wild from the Florida Everglades and the Bahamas, south to Mexico, Central America and as far south as Colombia. The only species in its genus, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - grows to about 15' to 25' tall in wet habitats and can grow into very rich and shaded thickets form wildlife havens for many species throughout the tropics. These wild paurotis palms were found in Everglades National Park in their natural habitat.
    Paurotis Palm
  • My favorite palm! The paurotis palm is a wonderfully beautiful palm that I have a personal connection to. As I was starting to build my photography business back when I was still living back home in Southwest Florida, I worked in a plant nursery and planted many hundreds of palm trees all over the Fort Myers/Naples area. My favorite was this slender, attractive Caribbean palm found in the wild from the Florida Everglades and the Bahamas, south to Mexico, Central America and as far south as Colombia. The only species in its genus, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - grows to about 15' to 25' tall in wet habitats and can grow into very rich and shaded thickets form wildlife havens for many species throughout the tropics. These wild paurotis palms were found in Everglades National Park in their natural habitat.
    Paurotis Palm
  • My favorite palm! The paurotis palm is a wonderfully beautiful palm that I have a personal connection to. As I was starting to build my photography business back when I was still living back home in Southwest Florida, I worked in a plant nursery and planted many hundreds of palm trees all over the Fort Myers/Naples area. My favorite was this slender, attractive Caribbean palm found in the wild from the Florida Everglades and the Bahamas, south to Mexico, Central America and as far south as Colombia. The only species in its genus, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - grows to about 15' to 25' tall in wet habitats and can grow into very rich and shaded thickets form wildlife havens for many species throughout the tropics. These wild paurotis palms were found in Everglades National Park in their natural habitat.
    Paurotis Palm
  • 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 on the beach near Neah Bay on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    Thimbleberries
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • This is truly the bush with many names, including Texas Ranger, Texas rain sage, cenizo, Texas silverleaf, Texas barometerbush, ash-bush, wild lilac, purple sage, senisa, cenicilla, palo cenizo, and hierba del cenizo. I'm choosing to just call it "Texas sage" as it is commonly called around where I found it in Mission, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. This plant has a cool feature: when it rains or the soil becomes wet, it will suddenly go into blossom. You can tell if an area has had recent rain just by the presence of these beautiful pink flowers, which look beautiful next to its silver leaves.
    Texas Sage 1
  • This is truly the bush with many names, including Texas Ranger, Texas rain sage, cenizo, Texas silverleaf, Texas barometerbush, ash-bush, wild lilac, purple sage, senisa, cenicilla, palo cenizo, and hierba del cenizo. I'm choosing to just call it "Texas sage" as it is commonly called around where I found it in Mission, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. This plant has a cool feature: when it rains or the soil becomes wet, it will suddenly go into blossom. You can tell if an area has had recent rain just by the presence of these beautiful pink flowers, which look beautiful next to its silver leaves.
    Texas Sage 2
  • Associated with mountainous pinelands, these beautiful small lilies look a lot like wild onions but that's where the similarity ends. They are found in almost all of the western American states except Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico and reach the northernmost point of their range in Canada's British Columbia. These were found growing on a steep slope among some ponderosa pines on the eastern side of Washington's Cascade Mountains near Ellensburg.
    Large-flowered Brodiaea
  • This large-leaved plant took me by surprise in the deserts of Southern Nevada. The greenish-brown flowers and dark green leaves mark it as what is known locally as wild rhubarb. This plant contains a remarkable amount of tannins and has been used in making leather products.
    Canaigre Dock
  • One of the most interesting facts about the mock-orange is the fact that it develops different properties based on where it is found in the wild. Because of the varying habitats where it is found, Native Americans of different tribes and geological locations had very different uses for this same shrub. Some used the wood for making strong and straight arrow shafts. Others made reliable and sturdy digging sticks with them. One of the most amazing characteristics is that if you crush the leaves and flowers together between your hands and keep rubbing, you will create a soapy lather, great for bathing! This one was found blooming next to the Yakima River in Kittitas County, Washington.
    Mock-Orange
  • A beautiful male orange sulphur butterfly sips nectar from wild pea flowers near the USA-Mexico border in Southern Hidalgo County, Texas.
    Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
  • Unusual and secretive, the South Texas satyr is a member of the often brightly-colored brushfoot butterfly family (monarchs, fritillaries, crescents, etc.) but are often small, a muted brown are more likely to be confused with moths as they flitter throughout the shady forests, often on the ground, blending in with fallen leaves. This small species is known only from the Rio Grande region of Southern Texas and Northern Mexico, and was found in a grove of wild oaks next to a pond in Southern Hidalgo County, Texas.
    South Texas Satyr (Hermeuptychia her..ius)
  • Unusual for a swallowtail, the clodius parnassian is mostly white-colored and is a member of the snow apollo family of butterflies. It is usually found in the mountainous regions of the western states where it feeds on a large variety of native wildflowers. This one was found about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier in a meadow feeding on wild blackberry flowers near the Carbon River in Washington State.
    Clodius Parnassian
  • While superficially it looks like your common dandelion, the common cat's-ear is an invasive Eurasian species of aster that has run wild in the Pacific Northwest, particularly west of the Cascade Mountains where it is listed as a noxious weed. This one was found about 15 miles to the northwest of Mount Rainier in Washington state in an open field by the Carbon River.
    Common Cat's-Ear
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of local wild dandelions just outside of Aspen, Colorado on a beautiful Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Painted Lady - 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 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
  • 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
  • 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 incredible wild and harsh desert near the Mexican town of Sonoyta is deep in the Ajo Mountain range in Southern Pima County, Arizona. Saguaro cacti, gila monsters, rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas, a searing sun are staples of this dangerous part of the Sonoran Desert, and there is a long, deep history among the remnants of the Tohono O'odham Nation who thrived here for centuries, and the ancestral Puebloans who created a vibrant culture here before them.
    Diablo Mountains, Arizona
  • An absolute stunner! Probably the coolest of all the orbweaver spiders, the spiny-backed orbweaver looks like it was designed by an anime artist and not something you'd find out in the wild, especially like this particularly beautiful one found on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida. Harmless to humans, these tiny spiders are most often found after walking into one of their suspended webs while walking in between trees.
    Spiny-backed Orbweaver (Gasteracanth..mis)
  • Unusual for a swallowtail, the clodius parnassian is mostly white-colored and is a member of the snow apollo family of butterflies. It is usually found in the mountainous regions of the western states where it feeds on a large variety of native wildflowers. This one was found about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier in a meadow feeding on wild blackberry flowers near the Carbon River in Washington State.
    Clodius Parnassian
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of local wild dandelions just outside of Aspen, Colorado on a beautiful Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Painted Lady - 3
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of local wild dandelions just outside of Aspen, Colorado on a beautiful Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Painted Lady - 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
  • A wild sun halo on a chilly winter day on the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tallahassee, Florida.
    Sun Halo over the Gulf of Mexico
  • This absolutely stunning hoary comma butterfly was chased down and photographed in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on a hot summer day. Common throughout most of Canada, this member of the brushfoot family of butterflies can also be found in most of the western United States at high altitudes where it searches for wild currant flowers.
    Hoary Comma
  • Perfectly camouflaged underwings of the absolutely stunningly orange hoary comma butterfly that was chased down and photographed in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on a hot summer day. Common throughout most of Canada, this member of the brushfoot family of butterflies can also be found in most of the western United States at high altitudes where it searches for wild currant flowers.
    Hoary Comma (Underwing View)
  • This absolutely beautiful diminutive wild iris is the only member of the genus Olsynium found in North America (the rest can be found in South America) and can be found growing at mid-level elevations in the rocky slopes and steppes in the mountains of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. This one was found on the exposed hilltops above the sagebrush canyon lands just west of Yakima, Washington.
    Grass Widows
  • The Japanese honeysuckle is an Asian import that has found its way into the wild into most of the continental United States excluding Oregon, the Rocky Mountain states and the Great Plains. It can also be found in parts of Ontario, Canada. This beautiful honeysuckle was in full bloom in a small wooded area in Kent, Washington.
    Japanese Honeysuckle
  • The Japanese honeysuckle is an Asian import that has found its way into the wild into most of the continental United States excluding Oregon, the Rocky Mountain states and the Great Plains. It can also be found in parts of Ontario, Canada. This beautiful honeysuckle was in full bloom in a small wooded area in Kent, Washington.
    Japanese Honeysuckle
  • Unusual angle of a wild blooming ghost orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) photographed from behind the flower on Florida's Fakahatchee Strand on a steamy hot summer morning.
    Ghost Orchid Photographed from an Un..e #1
  • The venomous, yet slow-moving gila monster posing in the lower branches of a mesquite bush in the Senoran Desert, just outside of Tucson, Arizona. This was my forst time seeing one in the wild, and I actually delayed my travel plan to spend extra time looking for one of these.
    Gila Monster
  • One of the most distinctive and favorite of the wild orchids of the Pacific Northwest is the western fairy-slipper. Also known as the calypso orchid, is primarily found in Northwestern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho and Montana in forests with rich, organic soils. One of the first of the springtime orchids to flower, when you find one, there are usually many, many more in the vicinity even though they can be hard to spot. Once you train your eye to the color and the diminutive size, they can suddenly appear in the hundreds. This one was one of many hundreds found growing on Fidalgo Island among the douglas firs within view of Rosario Strait.
    Western Fairy-Slipper (Calypso bulbo..lis)
  • One of the most distinctive and favorite of the wild orchids of the Pacific Northwest is the western fairy-slipper. Also known as the calypso orchid, is primarily found in Northwestern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho and Montana in forests with rich, organic soils. One of the first of the springtime orchids to flower, when you find one, there are usually many, many more in the vicinity even though they can be hard to spot. Once you train your eye to the color and the diminutive size, they can suddenly appear in the hundreds. This one was one of many hundreds found growing on Fidalgo Island among the douglas firs within view of Rosario Strait.
    Western Fairy-Slipper (Calypso bulbo..lis)
  • Almost anywhere you look in the Pacific Northwest's wild places in spring and summer you will usually find violets. These yellow stream violets were growing alongside a trail next to Deep Lake near Enumclaw, Washington.
    Stream Violets
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida. This one was in wait in a wild cocoplum while hunting near the Sweetwater Strand near Naples, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • A close up of one of the most beautiful of all of the Pacific Northwest's wild lupines. These bright blue high-elevation-loving members of the pea family range from the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges then west to the Pacific Ocean in places where elevations are high enough to stay cool in summer.
    Broadleaf Lupine
  • Sawtooth blackberries ripening on a vine in Northern Arkansas. While this bunch was still ripening, other batches had plenty of ripe wild balckberries to feast on!
    Sawtooth Blackberry
  • The largest giant ladies'-tresses orchid I've encountered in the wild. This one was photographed on a hot early May,  late afternoon day near Sopchoppy Florida.
    Giant Ladies'-tresses
  • The terrestrial cowhorn orchid found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand - in full flower weeks before it was stolen from the wild. This is why I no longer tell anyone where the rare orchids are - this happens all too often! They are too hard to find, and very disheartening when they are taken - usually to die in some orchid enthusiast's collection because it has been shocked by its removal from the conditions in which it grew from seed.
    Yellow Cowhorn Orchid (Cyrtopodium p..lum)
  • Extreme close-up of the detail of a wild American alligator.
    American Alligator
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