White Cockle | Silene latifolia ssp. alba Walking the riverside walk along the Puntledge River in Courtenay is a great place to see all sorts of invasive, introduced plants. Lately I’ve taken to strolling our two young children around the Airpark Loop. I always keep my eyes open for interesting plants and birds. The Airpark Lagoon is excellent for migrating …
Botany
Seeds on the Wind
It was a very windy day on the east coast of Vancouver Island today and tree seeds were on the move. We took a family walk in Miracle Beach Provincial Park this morning. At one point it seemed like it was snowing seeds! Bigleaf Maple Seeds At first we thought that the seeds were all bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) due …
Arizona Skywatch #1
Saguaro Cactus | Carnegiea gigantea Thought that this image of a saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) that I captured in Saguaro National Park would be suitable for Skywatch Friday. Enjoy!
Deer Cabbage
Deer Cabbage (Fauria crista-galli) leaves are spectaular in the fall. These plants were photographed at Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Fern-leaved Goldthread
Fern-leaved Goldthread | Coptis aspleniifolia One of the easily missed plants in the sub-alpine is the fern-leaved goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia). This plant can be found in moist forests and bogs in low to middle elevations. It is an interesting plant to keep and eye out for and might make a good addition to a shady spot in a native plant …
Cedar Bark Abstract
Yellow Cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) Bark Abstract Photograph of cedar bark was taken in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Bramble Ramble
Five-leaved Bramble (Rubus pedatus) On a guided photography hike today I found myself (the leader) at the back of the pack. Usually, this is because I was walking slowly and admiring the fall colours and keeping an eye out for the small and interesting. Five-leaved bramble (Rubus pedatus) is one such plant. A member of the Rubus, or raspberry clan, …
Crowberry
Crowberry | Empetrum nigrum At this time of year the berries in the sub-alpine are prolific. Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) is one that is often overlooked or assumed by many non-botanists to be a blueberry. It is a low-creeping plant with needle-like leaves that somewhat resembles heather. It produces berries that are a dark blackish/blue in colour. .A quick consultation of …
Fall Colours in Paradise Meadows
White-flowered Rhododendron | Rhododendron albiflorum With the cooler weather in the sub-alpine meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park many of the shrubs are starting to turn to their fall colours. White-flowered rhododendron (Rhododendron albiflorum) and many of the blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) are getting better every day. Today was a gray, wet day and that seemed to make the colour pop a …
A Tale of Two Tansies
Common Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare Common Tansy Up at Paradise Meadows today I had the (unfortunate?) opportunity to photograph some common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) growing along the roadside. Common tansy is an invasive perennial that grows in disturbed places, road edges and stream banks. WeedsBC reports that the common tansy is problematic especially in areas like interior BC so it …