Identifying orchids in North Idaho
The orchids in North Idaho aren’t as spectacular as tropical orchids but they have their own attractiveness. Some of the orchid flowers are so small…
Tag: Plants
More to ferns than fronds
Thalli. Sporangia. Sori. Pinnae. Frond. As foreign as these words may seem, they refer to a plant we see all the time–ferns. You won’t find…
Skunk cabbage true to its name
Whether the winter is short or long, the first flower is a joyful sight–even if its name is skunk cabbage. The bright yellow flowers emerge…
Not your Christmas mistletoe
Tis’ the season for mistletoe hanging in doorways to add romantic cheer. True mistletoe may spread cheer but another mistletoe–dwarf mistletoe–doesn’t spread cheer throughout the…
How do deer survive winter eating twigs?
A deer munches on the tips of young trees, ripping the leafless twigs from the plants. Surviving the winter on twigs isn’t very nutritious but…
Blister rust decimated white pine forests
The western white pine was the most abundant forest type in the Inland Northwest 50 years ago. Long, clear trunks skyrocketed to heights of 200…
Horsetails rooted in history
Long before scouring pads were invented for cleaning dishes, Europeans and American settlers utilized what was available in nature–scouring rushes and horsetails. The widespread use…
Grass is under our feet and in our cupboards
What do barley, corn and fescue all have in common? They are all grasses. From the green grass in yards to fields of oats to…
Magnitude of beargrass blooms unpredictable
While on the Parker Ridge trail below Parker Peak last summer, I rounded a corner and was surprised by the hundreds of beargrass blooms filling…
White wildflowers blooming everywhere
Early spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, are blooming at higher elevations as the snow recedes and the ground warms. At lower elevations summer wildflowers are…
April showers bring May wildflowers
The saying “April showers bring May flowers” certainly rings true this year. After several days of rain followed by 70 degree weather, spring flowers are…
Being green in winter isn’t easy
Compared to the Midwest, the forests of North Idaho are filled with more conifers than deciduous trees. Conifers keep our forests green through winter as…
More to ferns than fronds
Thalli. Sporangia. Sori. Pinnae. Frond. As foreign as these words may seem, they refer to a plant we see all the time–ferns. You won’t find…
Skunk cabbage true to its name
Whether the winter is short or long, the first flower is a joyful sight–even if its name is skunk cabbage. The bright yellow flowers emerge…
Not your Christmas mistletoe
Tis’ the season for mistletoe hanging in doorways to add romantic cheer. True mistletoe may spread cheer but another mistletoe–dwarf mistletoe–doesn’t spread cheer throughout the…
How do deer survive winter eating twigs?
A deer munches on the tips of young trees, ripping the leafless twigs from the plants. Surviving the winter on twigs isn’t very nutritious but…
Blister rust decimated white pine forests
The western white pine was the most abundant forest type in the Inland Northwest 50 years ago. Long, clear trunks skyrocketed to heights of 200…
Horsetails rooted in history
Long before scouring pads were invented for cleaning dishes, Europeans and American settlers utilized what was available in nature–scouring rushes and horsetails. The widespread use…
Grass is under our feet and in our cupboards
What do barley, corn and fescue all have in common? They are all grasses. From the green grass in yards to fields of oats to…
Magnitude of beargrass blooms unpredictable
While on the Parker Ridge trail below Parker Peak last summer, I rounded a corner and was surprised by the hundreds of beargrass blooms filling…
White wildflowers blooming everywhere
Early spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, are blooming at higher elevations as the snow recedes and the ground warms. At lower elevations summer wildflowers are…
April showers bring May wildflowers
The saying “April showers bring May flowers” certainly rings true this year. After several days of rain followed by 70 degree weather, spring flowers are…
Being green in winter isn’t easy
Compared to the Midwest, the forests of North Idaho are filled with more conifers than deciduous trees. Conifers keep our forests green through winter as…