I had photographed wildflowers for about 5 years before I saw one of these, and then it was just one single blossom. Now that I know the time they bloom and the places they prefer I see hundreds, as I did today.
Isn’t that neat when you discover something new! That happened to me with spotted coralroot orchids last year — found several lovely bunches along a cow trail on our neighbour’s quarter. Never seen them on our place — then within a couple of weeks I found 3 patches, all within metres of our yard. Like you found, it helps to know when they bloom. 🙂
With wildflowers, timing is critical. Many of our trails are quite aggressive and so I don’t visit all of them too often. When I visit at different times I see different species.
Close by. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think this name comes from the Voyage of Discovery. There are many very different species in all parts of the country.
This one is a stunner. It reminded me of staghorn fern at first glance. The color is wonderful. When I saw the tiny white bloom in the center, I wondered if the purple bits might be bracts rather than petals, but I found they are petals. I also discovered that it’s in the evening primrose family, so it’s a cousin to one of our most common spring flowers.
When I went looking for the etymology of the word “robin,” I found this: “masculine proper name, from Old French Robin, diminutive of Robert (q.v.). Robin Goodfellow “sportive elf of the English countryside.” If I’ve ever seen a flower that could be described as a sportive elf, this would be the one!
Did you notice the very odd distribution of this species? B.C, Ore, Wash, Idaho, Mont , Wyoming, S.D., – and then Ohio, Vermont, Connecticut, & Massachusetts. Sportive indeed and perhaps whimsical.
After many years of searching I finally found a ragged robin, and it was growing in a lawn! Ours are apparently much paler than yours and the petal shape is quite different as well. Interesting.
[…] plants called ragged robin in the U.S., like the very beautiful Clarkia pulchella shown recently on Montucky’s blog, this particular plant was introduced from Europe into New England. It might have come as a […]
Another new flower for me — and such interesting names 🙂
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Comment by Sally — June 23, 2017 @ 5:23 pm
I can understand the other two, but “Ragged Robin”?
The USDA “Plants” website shows this in BC but not in Alberta. Strange.
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 6:44 pm
I checked my AB plant books — not a single species of Clarkia. Guess I’ll just have to travel to MT if I want to see it. 🙂
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Comment by Sally — June 23, 2017 @ 10:36 pm
I had photographed wildflowers for about 5 years before I saw one of these, and then it was just one single blossom. Now that I know the time they bloom and the places they prefer I see hundreds, as I did today.
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 10:41 pm
Isn’t that neat when you discover something new! That happened to me with spotted coralroot orchids last year — found several lovely bunches along a cow trail on our neighbour’s quarter. Never seen them on our place — then within a couple of weeks I found 3 patches, all within metres of our yard. Like you found, it helps to know when they bloom. 🙂
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Comment by Sally — June 23, 2017 @ 10:48 pm
With wildflowers, timing is critical. Many of our trails are quite aggressive and so I don’t visit all of them too often. When I visit at different times I see different species.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 8:02 am
Wonderful creation by God and wonderful photo by your goodself. Congrats.
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Comment by nvsubbaraman — June 23, 2017 @ 5:24 pm
Thank youy. It is a beauty!
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 6:44 pm
What a great design. Three bumps on each of four petals. So many flowers have five petals and not with this distinct shape. Wonderful find!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 23, 2017 @ 5:40 pm
It’s the only flower I know with that shape.
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 6:45 pm
Very special!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 24, 2017 @ 7:49 am
I don’t suppose you found it on the “Clarkia Fork”? 😉
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 23, 2017 @ 5:41 pm
Close by. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think this name comes from the Voyage of Discovery. There are many very different species in all parts of the country.
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 6:48 pm
No, I don’t suppose so. It was just a “fun pun.”
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 24, 2017 @ 7:49 am
I wonder though if they did encounter it when the passed through here.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 8:04 am
I guess it depends on the time of year, and whether they had time to “smell the roses.”
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 24, 2017 @ 10:20 am
They did bring back a lot of drawings of plants and some dried examples.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 1:13 pm
You take such gorgeous pictures!
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Comment by Sharon Huff — June 23, 2017 @ 6:19 pm
Thank you Sharon!
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Comment by montucky — June 23, 2017 @ 6:49 pm
This one is a stunner. It reminded me of staghorn fern at first glance. The color is wonderful. When I saw the tiny white bloom in the center, I wondered if the purple bits might be bracts rather than petals, but I found they are petals. I also discovered that it’s in the evening primrose family, so it’s a cousin to one of our most common spring flowers.
When I went looking for the etymology of the word “robin,” I found this: “masculine proper name, from Old French Robin, diminutive of Robert (q.v.). Robin Goodfellow “sportive elf of the English countryside.” If I’ve ever seen a flower that could be described as a sportive elf, this would be the one!
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Comment by shoreacres — June 24, 2017 @ 6:55 am
Did you notice the very odd distribution of this species? B.C, Ore, Wash, Idaho, Mont , Wyoming, S.D., – and then Ohio, Vermont, Connecticut, & Massachusetts. Sportive indeed and perhaps whimsical.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 8:06 am
After many years of searching I finally found a ragged robin, and it was growing in a lawn! Ours are apparently much paler than yours and the petal shape is quite different as well. Interesting.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — June 24, 2017 @ 3:46 pm
There are a huge amount of species under the clarkia genus, and the distribution of this species is very unusual.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 8:44 pm
Very Nice Steve! Love the color and shape! Nice job!
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Comment by Reed Andariese — June 24, 2017 @ 5:30 pm
It’s a very unusual blossom, even for a wild flower. I haven’t found them to be widespread around here either, just a few places.
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Comment by montucky — June 24, 2017 @ 8:46 pm
Such an unusual shape, pretty color!
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Comment by Candace — June 26, 2017 @ 9:37 pm
When I first saw one I thought it was rare, but I guess it isn’t; just very unusual.
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Comment by montucky — June 26, 2017 @ 9:40 pm
[…] plants called ragged robin in the U.S., like the very beautiful Clarkia pulchella shown recently on Montucky’s blog, this particular plant was introduced from Europe into New England. It might have come as a […]
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Pingback by Late June Flowers | New Hampshire Garden Solutions — June 28, 2017 @ 2:08 am
A beauty .. and I adore purple
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — June 29, 2017 @ 2:01 am
It’s a pretty shade of purple too.
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Comment by montucky — June 29, 2017 @ 6:53 pm