After seeing the Bear Grass starting to bloom a few days ago in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains I checked a favorite place about forty miles north of there on Mount Baldy in the Cabinet Mountains and found them blooming in profusion between 4,000 feet and 4,300 feet (their bloom will continue into higher elevations up to about 6,000 feet). Here’s what that looks like:
Montana Outdoors 
I almost thought I saw some yesterday driving from Payson to Woods Canyon Lake but it wasn’t a place I could pull over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Candace — June 6, 2017 @ 6:55 pm
If there is any in Arizona, it would probably be in that area, or in the Young area.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 7:38 pm
What a beautiful sight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 6, 2017 @ 6:56 pm
It turns the forest into a flower garden, doesn’t it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 7:38 pm
Nature does it best!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 6, 2017 @ 10:33 pm
Yes, I think so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 11:45 pm
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
WOW—HADN’T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE! AND HOW DO THE BEARS LIKE IT? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Jonathan Caswell — June 6, 2017 @ 7:18 pm
Thank you Jonathan! This grows only in 6 far western states plus British Columbia and Alberta. It doesn’t bloom in such profusion every year and so I cherish the years when it does. Supposedly bears will eat the fleshy area near the roots and therefore the name, but I have seen huge areas of it in places that have a large bear population without seeing any signs of them using it for forage. However, in one other place I saw about 50 plants on the mountainside that clearly had been torn up around the base. I would conclude that bears do eat it, but it’s probably not near the top of their favorite food plants and if other food is plentiful they might just ignore it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 7:47 pm
I was pondering that…maybe the puffs looked like a bear—at least on one end! Thank you for this info—never heard of this before. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Jonathan Caswell — June 6, 2017 @ 7:58 pm
Extremely lovely and beautiful. CONGRATS.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by nvsubbaraman — June 6, 2017 @ 8:54 pm
Thank you!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 9:20 pm
Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Harold Rhenisch — June 6, 2017 @ 9:24 pm
I always look forward to seeing them like this!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 6, 2017 @ 11:44 pm
Wow. Awesome. I have never seen them. Thank You.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Sartenada — June 7, 2017 @ 2:03 am
They have a limited distribution and live at an altitude that is above the well-travelled valleys, so not everyone sees them.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 7, 2017 @ 7:15 am
I’ve never seen these either. From a distance, they look like cotton balls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — June 7, 2017 @ 6:54 am
They do, especially in the sun when the blossoms look pure white.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 7, 2017 @ 7:16 am
In a way they remind me of the cotton grass that we see here in swamps and bogs. They’re quite a sight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — June 7, 2017 @ 3:16 pm
I haven’t seen your cotton grass, but there is one here somewhere called that but I haven’t found one. From a photo I saw, it’s quite small.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 7, 2017 @ 6:08 pm
Why do they call it bear grass?
LikeLike
Comment by windyhillx — June 7, 2017 @ 4:37 pm
It got its name because some folks think that bears will eat the fleshy part near the roots in spring. From my observations, I would think that they do eat it, but it is not at the top of their list to eat. If nothing else can be found…
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 7, 2017 @ 6:10 pm
Strangely, today they reminded me of the macro photos of moss and algae that I sometimes see, with the little heads at the end of filaments. I see what you mean about the way they can be spotted deep into the woods. They’re large enough and bright enough to make their presence known.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by shoreacres — June 8, 2017 @ 5:26 am
Each living thing has its own survival strategy. This one’s seems to work very well. Something interesting I see along with them is the presence of little crab spiders, but I don’t know what their relationship is.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 8, 2017 @ 6:43 am
Fabulous .. putting on a show alright! 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — June 10, 2017 @ 2:24 pm
It’s an annual celebration and I wouldn’t want to miss it. Unfortunately, because it happens up in the mountains a bit, most folks do miss it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — June 10, 2017 @ 7:38 pm
So beautiful! Looks like a magical forest against all that lush green and blue sky. I enjoy your trails and wildflowers. 🍃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Sandy A. — June 25, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
They do lend a magical look to the forest. I’m glad that you enjoy the photos!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — June 25, 2017 @ 12:36 pm