Fall Blooms

Observing Directions:

1. When you see a late blooming flower, open the LEO Reporter app and sign in.

2. Hit "the "Make Observation" button at the bottom of the map screen.

3. Select "Seasons" and "Plants" for the category for your observation.

4. Title your headline "Late Bloomer" and then the type of flower it is. For example, "Late Bloomer - Wild Rose"

3. Select the date and location of your observation using the app.

4. Please take at least two photos of the late blooming flower for the post, one up close so that the species can be identified, and one approximately 3 ft away from the flower, so we can get a sense of the proportion of flowers that are blooming on the plant and nearby plants. Add these images to your post as prompted by the app.

In the notes, please write an estimate of the percent of the buds on the plant that have popped open in the area. To do this, imagine a square area with the late blooming flower at the center that is the length and width of your arms fully spread out. What percent of the buds in the square have popped: less than 1%, 1-5%, 6-10%, greater than 10%?

Make other notes you think are relevant in your post, like unseasonable weather, pollinators or insects being observed, or proximity to trails or buildings.

All observations of unusually late flowers are welcome, but of particular interest are observations of August-October flowers on the following species :

• Bearberry (Arctostaphylos rubra)
• Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum, Ledum groenlandicum)
• Prickly rose (Rosa acicularis)
• Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
• Buffalo berry (Shepherdia canadensis)
• Lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
• Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)
• Highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule)

5. Review and submit your observation.