Montana Outdoors

May 15, 2009

Larkspur

Another toxic plant with a pretty face.

Upland larkspur

Upland larkspur,
Common Larkspur,
Delphinium nuttallii
Buttercup family

I have read that this plant is responsible for the greatest cattle loss on national forest range land. I wonder why the Montana cattlemen don’t have the hired thugs agents for the Montana Department of Livestock, Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks out assaulting them like they are assaulting America’s last wild bison! Bison on Horse Butte Mercilessly Hazed out of Montana

21 Comments »

  1. That bison story makes my heart ache and my eyes damp.

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    Comment by Cedar — May 15, 2009 @ 10:36 am

    • Mine too, Cedar. It also makes me furious! Our state political “leaders” are simply lackeys for the special interest money, in this case the cattlemen.

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      Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:07 pm

  2. If I could be a color, that would be it.. Beautiful.

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    Comment by Camilla — May 15, 2009 @ 12:18 pm

    • They are an interesting contrast to the pastels of many wildflowers.

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      Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:08 pm

  3. Wowzer! Indeed, a pretty face of a toxic plant. How gorgeous and sure does pop. 🙂

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    Comment by Anna Surface — May 15, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

    • You wouldn’t think it was the same family as the Buttercup, would you!

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      Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:10 pm

  4. Pretty faces often hide a toxic nature..
    I was always told as a child “Pretty is as pretty does.” Today’s children have probably never heard that saying.

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    Comment by SuzieQ — May 15, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

    • I haven’t heard that saying in years. I’m sure today’s children do not know it.

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      Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:11 pm

  5. The hired thugs wouldn’t have as much, uhmmm, excitement killing little flowers. Sigh!

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    Comment by Bo — May 15, 2009 @ 2:52 pm

    • Excitement may help motivate the killers: certainly reason and compassion are not in their makeup. Unfortunately, there are always plenty of low-lifes around for those jobs.

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      Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:15 pm

  6. …could just send the little calves to school and teach them which plants are poisonous 😛

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    Comment by Tabbie — May 15, 2009 @ 4:48 pm

  7. It’s an unbalanced world isn’t it?

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    Comment by Maureen — May 15, 2009 @ 7:50 pm

  8. Love that blue!!!!

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    Comment by Stacey - Addicted to The Click — May 15, 2009 @ 9:05 pm

  9. I do too, Stacey. One doesn’t forget the plant because of that color.

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    Comment by montucky — May 15, 2009 @ 9:20 pm

  10. That is one INTENSE blue. Very cool.

    Thanks for the link on the bison. Interesting reading and cause.

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    Comment by edvatza — May 16, 2009 @ 2:44 pm

    • The petals are rather fuzzy like velvet, and because they don’t reflect light I think that’s partly why the deep color. They don’t even seem to fade with sunlight.

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      Comment by montucky — May 16, 2009 @ 4:33 pm

  11. Larkspur is my favorite wildflower, for exactly the reason you articulate.

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    Comment by Brian Ertz — May 18, 2009 @ 11:12 pm

    • I’ve always liked them. Too bad there just aren’t enough of them to keep the damned cattle out of the National Forests.

      Like

      Comment by montucky — May 19, 2009 @ 10:23 am

  12. […] and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks out assaulting them like they are assaulting America’s la click for more var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : […]

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    Pingback by Larkspur < It’s all about the trends — May 31, 2009 @ 12:22 pm


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