Mid-April arrivals

As the weather here has warmed a bit more toward a more normal April, more species of wildflowers have begun to appear. Here are a few more species making their appearance, including one that I have not before noticed or identified; another member of the Saxifrage family (sure wish these were larger).

Oregon grape ~ Berberis aquifolium

Redstem Stork’s bill, Common Stork’s Bill ~ Erodium cicutarium

Northern Biscuitroot ~Lomatium farinosum

Shooting star ~ Dodecatheon pulchellum

Maiden blue eyed mary ~ Collinsia parviflora

Glacier Lily ~ Erythronium grandiflorum

Nuttall’s saxifrage ~ Saxifraga nuttallii

A couple of the tiny ones

I would naively suppose that in unstable weather that includes nights with temperatures in the low twenties and late season snow, one would expect only the larger, more robust-appearing plants to thrive. These tiny ones however, seem to be doing just fine. (The blossom in the first photo measures just 1/8 inch across, and the second only 3/16 inch, and each sits on a stem less than two inches tall.)

Spring Whitlow-grass, Draba verna

Maiden Blue Eyed Mary, Collinsia parviflora