California Broomrape, A Beautiful Surprise!

I’m not sure if I’ve seen California broomrape (Orobanche californica) on Vancouver Island before so when I saw a few plants on the rocky shoreline in East Sooke Regional Park I was pretty excited. Broomrapes are very interesting parasitic plants that are often overlooked because of their small size. And while I have seen naked broomrape fairly frequently over the …

Naked Broomrape – A Fascinating Parasitic Plant

British Columbia is home to a number of spectacular broomrapes like naked broomrape (Aphyllon uniflorum). These beautiful parasitic plants are easy to miss because of their size. However, once you know what to look for they can be found regularly. Understanding the connection between the parasite and the host plant is an important factor in locating and identifying different species …

Garry Oak Meadow Wildflowers at Mount Tzouhalem

The Mount Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve is spectacular for viewing wildflowers typical of Garry oak meadows. Beginning in the early spring, deltoid balsamroot, shootingstar, and common camas are very prolific. In early summer, the onions begin in earnest and several species are easy to find in the long grass. Looking more carefully, it is possible to find a number of other …

Mount Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve Wildflowers

Mount Tzouhalem is located near Duncan on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The area is recognized for its network of mountain biking and hiking trails. However, it is also the location of Mount Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve and a spectacular Garry oak wildflower meadow. Path through grassy meadow at Mount Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve. The meadows are a fairly short 15 minute walk …

Wildflowers at Harewood Plains

May and June are peak times to visit Harewood Plains to view wildflowers. In May, common camas (Camassia quamash), sea blush (Plectritis congesta), and yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) fill the open meadows of the plains with a beautiful wash of blue, pink, and yellow. The bloom begins in late April and continues through the month of May and into June. …

Wildflowers in Wickaninnish Beach Dunes

The Wickaninnish beach dunes are a fascinating place to view wildflowers that are unique to dune ecosystems. Parks Canada staff and volunteers at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve have worked in the dunes to remove introduced grass species. As a result, sand movement has improved and native plants are thriving in this dynamic and harsh environment. At this time of …

Seashore Lupine at Radar Hill Beach

Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) grows in sandy beaches and dunes along the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. One place where it is found is Radar Hill Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. More than ten years ago, I noticed this lovely lupine when I first hiked down to the beaches. It was good to …

Late Spring Flowers at Harewood Plains

Harewood Plains is a fabulous and sensitive wildflower ecosystem in Nanaimo, British Columbia. The late spring flower bloom occurs in early May and rolls into June. Water seeps down a gentle, mostly east facing slope that is covered by a shallow layer of soil over non-permeable rock. As a result, conditions are ideal for wildflowers and the open meadows are …

Vancouver Groundcone

Vancouver groundcone (Boschniakia hookeri) is an unusual saprophyte that grows in coastal British Columbia. It is found in association with salal (Gaultheria shallon) and kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) which it is parasitic on. Like the common name suggests, this parasitic herb looks like a weird cone growing out of the ground. Vancouver groundcone comes in a range of colours from pale …

Pink Sand-verbena at Wickaninnish Dunes

Pink Sand-verbena (Abronia umbellata) in the dunes at Wickaninnish Beach, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The sand dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are home to a number of beautiful and hardy plants. Some of these wildflowers are spectacular and showy, covering the dunes with a colourful display. However, others are less dramatic and require more …