Western Washington Wildflowers

Day 228: With the exception of Iris tenax (Toughleaf Iris) in the lower left corner, the remaining wildflowers shown in this composite photo are common in most of western Washington. Iris tenax is a prairie habitué and appears both in shady forest and dry grassland. It is a native plant, and the fibers of the leaves were used by the indigenous peoples to make nets and rope.

In the upper left corner, California Poppies (Eschscholtzia californica) make a showy appearance. Often found in drifts, they spread readily. After they are fully dry, the pointed pods burst with force, scattering seed for several yards. Contrary to its misleading name, it is also native to the region. If anyone ever asks you to think of a word with six consonants in a row, "Eschscholzia" will do the trick.

The upper right corner is occupied by Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), a non-native species familiar to most children as a science project. Add a little food coloring to water, stick a bouquet of daisies in it, and in a few hours, you'll have tinted blossoms.

In the lower right is another non-native, Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus). Beautiful though it may be, it is regarded as an invasive species which chokes ponds and waterways. Oddly, these were deliberately planted by the planners of a city park. They must have missed the memo.

All of the flowers shown here were photographed today in the Yelm-Rainier area of Southwestern Washington.