May-Jun 2020
Mayday! (Actually, it was April 29) Headline:
Civic Landscape instructs Showplace to Slaughter Shrubs that Clean Water Services recently Planted
We wrote to the Civic Landscape Chair and asked that the area where Clean Water Services had planted native shrubs not be mowed. The Civic people misread the message and then instructed Showplace to mow an area behind our homes.
The Showplace workers are great landscaping people but they were not able to avoid cutting the recently planted shrubs.
The Showplace workers cut down the native cattails in that area.
May 17, 2020. The following photos were taken by Yan Soucie. It was damp and the grass was tall. Our boots and the bottoms of our pants were soaked.
The Pacific ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) flowers at this time of year. The flowers are small but the balls of flowers are can be very beautiful.
A close look at the ninebark flowers. Pink pollen on long stamen.
These flowers are developing seeds.
Two months ago the red-flowering currant was blooming. The blossoms are gone and seeds are developing. Below on left is a closeup showing the fruit with short hairs. Often there is a drop of sticky liquid at the end of each hair. On the right is a photo from two months ago.
Last fall I noticed these seed pods. In November I took the photo on the left. The seeds are now gone. During the winter something ate the softer parts of the pod. Only the harder parts are left.
I am not able to identify this plant from the seed pods. Perhaps more plants will grow this year and after viewing the flowers I will learn the name.
April 2021 -- This seedpod looks like it might be Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium). This is not a native plant.
Two views of an English plantain (Plantago lanceolata). This is a common weed believed to be native to Europe and Asia and introduced into North America.
This looks like a lichen called oakmoss (Evernia prunastri). It is common in our area. This piece was on the ground but the lichen often grows high in trees. We can find it on the ground after strong winds. Oakmoss has been collected and used in the perfume trade.
I like this picture of a native rose because we can also see the thorns. This is likely a Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana) but there are a few species of native roese and I have not learned how to tell them apart. The name Nootka comes from the Nootka Sound of Vancouver Island where the plant was first described by European-based people.
These roses were close to Bethany Boulevard . In this photo you can see pollen dust on the petals.
This rabbit remained perfectly still, all eyes and ears. And then in one leap it was inside the rock wall.
A cleavers flower (Galium aparine). Each flower is about 0.05 inches across. The hairs act like velcros, clinging to anything they touch.
A new flower on a cursed buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus). The flowers are smallish. The petal may be a tenth of an inch long.
Common horsetail fern (Equisetum arvense). As a child we would pull the sections apart.
This is Anna's Hummingbird.
This is the same hummingbird but notice how dramatic the color of the head has changed as head turns.
Spraying weeds, June 18, 2020
Blue dye in their spray
They zapped blackberries and thistles
June 19, 2020 -- An Inventory. Here are photos of all the plants that I could find before I got tired.
Velvet Grass (Holcus lanatus) -- I have never tried to identify grass. But I recognized this grass because of the woolly or velvet texture of the leaves. This grass is native to parts of northern Europe. It is not native to North America and in places it is considered a noxious weed. These photos were taken next to the Bethany wall.
Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) -- Dock is a common weed that is native to Europe. The seeds are starting to mature in the center photo. The leaves are sometimes wavy.
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) -- This very common wildflower, often seen along roads, is also native to Europe.
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) -- Yet another native of Europe that is weedy and sometimes a noxious weed in North America. Ouch.
Common St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) -- Yet another native of Europe but a common wild flower in our area. The name of this plant comes about because it blooms around St. John's Feast Day (June 24) and "Wort" is just an old name for plant. The flower has lots of stamen. The petals look a bit like a boat propeller and often contain black dots along the edge.
Cluster Rose (Rosa pisocarpa) -- Yes, a rose. But which rose. The flower is small (about an inch). I'm guessing that it is Rosa pisocarpa. Our first native plant.
Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) -- Larger flowers, nastier thorns.
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) -- The cones hang down. The back side of the needles have two light stripes. Native.
Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) -- Large leaves and maple flyers hanging in the tree. This tree has the largest leaves of any maple. And it is native just along the western edge of North America.
Bitter Dock (Rumex obtusifolius) -- Another Dock native to Europe.
Cut-leaved Geranium (Geranium dissectum) -- Native of Europe.
Common Cleavers (Galium aparine) -- This plant clings on to clothing, boots, fingers, anything. The flowers are exceedingly small.
Lichen
Moss
Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) -- Look under the leaves for the nuts growing inside their husks. This is a common large shrub or small tree. Commercially grown as filberts.
Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) -- A native tree or large shrub. The top of some vine maples will bend over so that the tree makes an arch. Some tops have even rooted.
Last years leaf may have been partially eaten by a slug, leaving an interesting pattern of veins
Slough Sedge (Carex obnupta) -- This sedge grows very near the water. It is native to the west edge of North America.
Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) -- This native blackberry is common. Unlike Himalayan Blackberry, it does not crowd out other plant.
Western Swordfern (Polystichum munitum) -- A very common, native fern. Spores are held in the balls (called sporangia) shown on the right. The sporangia are organized into groups called sori. In the photo on the right the cover protecting the sori (called indusium) is coming off. The sporangia will burst to release the spores.
Small Enchanters Nightshade (Circaea alpina) -- This is a very small plant. I knew where to find it yet it took me a while to locate a patch. With my best camera I was not able to get a good photo of the flower. There is a mystery in the common name. All other "nightshades" are in the nightshade family. But this oddball is in the evening primrose family.
Spreading Gooseberry (Ribes divaricatum) -- I need to photograph the flowers next April. Native to western North America. I have been backing into these thorns while pulling ivy.
White Clover (Trifolium repens) -- This is often found in lawn. Native to Europe. The two photos on the right may be Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum).
Common Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) -- Native. This is the sterile stem. In early spring a stem without the side branches is topped with a cone of spores.
Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) -- After the ball of white flowers the seeds mature. Native. These plants were placed in the wetlands as remediation.
Soft Rush (Juncus effusus) --
Ocean-Spray (Holodiscus discolor) -- Native to western North America and added to the wetlands as remediation. The small flowers are just opening.
Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii) -- Native to western North America and added to the wetlands as remediation.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) -- Native to Europe but used here as an agricultural crop to improve soil nitrogen.
Cursed Buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus) -- This buttercup grows right next to the water. This plant is a native. Any juice from this plant on your skin will result in sores and blisters.
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens) -- This European plant is not native and not appreciated.
Water Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) -- Native in our area. Introduced to Europe where it is a pest. It grows in the water.
Fringed Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) -- Common in the wetland. A native plant. These flowers are open more than usual.
Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) -- Native to Europe but used in pasture lands in North America.
Spiny Sow-thistle (Sonchus asper) -- Native to Europe. Nasty weed.
Common Nipplewort (Lapsana communis) -- Not native, from Europe.
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola) -- Not native and from Europe. This plant is thought to be the most similar plant to cultivated lettuce.
Male catkin seen earlier in the year.
Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) -- A native tree that live next to water. This tree may be a male. I remember seeing male catkins and not knowing where they came from at the time.
Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia) -- There are many of these native trees along the creek. Lots of seed.
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) -- Native shrub. Berries are flavorful.
English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) -- A common weed native to Eurasia.
Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) -- This vetch may be an agricultural introduction. It does not appear to be hairy enough to be "hairy vetch". Vicia dasycarpa is just like hairy vetch but without the hair. Many authorities consider Vicia dasycarpa to be the same as hairy vetch. So I will go with hairy vetch despite not having hair.
Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) -- This native plant has been added to the wetlands as remediation.
Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) -- Native to Europe. Taller than me.
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) -- This native plant is being added to the wetlands as remediation. Some of the plants may have been here, naturally.
Oregon Crabapple (Malus fusca) --
Twinberry Honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata) -- A native plant. This very small shrub was recently planted for wetland remediation.
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) -- This native of Europe is just starting to bloom.
Duckweed (Lemna) -- The water that is stagnate becomes covered with duckweed.
Red Alder (Alnus rubra) -- New cones forming on the left. Last year's cones, center. Alder tree trunk on the right.
This looks like a sedge. Perhaps it is an ornamental sedge that got started near a group of cattails. The heads look like exploding fireworks.
Broad-leaf Cattail (Typha latifolia) -- These cattails exist in naturally damp areas between the rock wall and the creek. Cattails in the former pasture area have been poisoned and I presume that is to keep the whole area from becoming just cattails. These are native plants but they can dominate an area.
Tansy Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) -- Native to Europe and a noxious weed. Toxic to cattle and horses. The photo on the left is the flower head before opening. I try to kill it before it goes to seed.
Tall Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) -- This is the Oregon grape that was recently planted as part of the wetland remediation. There are two different types of Oregon grape. This is the taller one. The leaf has a central vein that has branches. The other type has a few veins that run the length of the leaf.
Pacific Willow (Salix lasiandra) -- The beaver's favorite food is willow bark. There are many willow trees along the creek.
Common Ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) -- Spore pattern on the back of the fronds shown in the photo on the right.
Snakeskin Liverwort (Conocephalum salebrosum) -- This is a photo of a small piece of ground and a liverwort. Sometimes liverworts look like a moss. They are generally small and go unnoticed. I had my head about a foot away from the ground looking at the enchanter's nightshade and that is why I noticed this plant. No roots. Strange reproduction cycle.
53 Species. And there are lots more. But I became tired when taking photos. (350 images.) And it took two days to put the photos into this website.