Riverine spring

Spring along the creeks is fantastic here.  Within the rivers, an amazing plant is sprouting pink fleshy shoots of flowers from a twist of tuberous roots submerged in the water.  I do not recall the name of this plant.  Come summer time, it has large green leaves that gives a tropical feel to the river.

Also along the edges of the rivers, in meadow areas that were underwater, comes a delicate orchid, the fairy slipper, Calypso bulbosa.

Calypso bulbosa

On the open slopes, a white native lily sprouts and fuzzy pussy ears lily (Calochortus tolmiei), like the sego lily in ID but fuzzy.

Calochortus tolmiei

?

Spring at the B Bar K home

It is spring time at B Bar K.  This has been a wet spring, especially after the past 5 drought years.  This is also my first spring in California, first spring on B Bar K.


Some wildflowers have bloomed in April, mostly trillium, an early spring flower even in Idaho.  The trillium in California are huge.  The leaves and flower are both twice as big as an Idaho specimen.

Trillium

Trillium

Today, May 6, the following plants were in bloom in our B Bar K flower beds.  Most of these are not native, some are relatives of natives, and all are pleasant to see.

Purple Robe locust Robinia pseudoacacia

 

Columbine  Aquilegia sp.

Columbine  Aquilegia sp.

Columbine  Aquilegia sp.

Iris Iris

Iris Iris

 

California Dogwood Cornus nuttallii

 

 

Puffball Hydrangea Hortensia