Spring is definitely here, but with all the cloudy days and rain we've had here, it's hard to feel good about it. I think the wildflowers feel the same way. There just hasn't been enough sunlight recently. We went to Meadow #1 down Red Rock Road (in Island Park, Idaho) today to see what nature has sprung upon us since our visit last Friday (6 days ago).

As we walked the 1/2 mile west on Red Rock road, I scoured the meadows to see if I recognized any new flowers blooming. There are plenty of Sticky Geranium plants, but no blooms yet. The Mule Ear's are still trying to get up enough momentum to cover the area, but not yet. Of course, the dandelions are starting to cover the ranch next door but you couldn't tell this time of morning (they close up at night.)


The first newly blooming flower that I recognized as we approached our favorite wildflower spot at Meadow #1 was the pale-yellow Mule's Ears (Wyethia cusickii). They were growing here at the same spot last year. Just a small stand on the hillside was blooming. I suspect this is a hybrid of the white and yellow variety. Nevertheless, they are a beautiful sunflower-like bloom. Several were just beginning to bloom and were also attractive in that state. Notice the shiny almost varnished sheen to it's leaves. This contrasts with the look alike Arrowleaf Balsamroot with its hairy leaves.

Just a little way up the path I noticed this Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscosissimum) just about to bloom. I'd been looking for these the last few days since they have been growing all over the area (without blooms) for the last couple weeks. They are a very bright pink color and will grace the meadows with their colors throughout most of the season (through August.) This bud reminds me of a rose before it blooms. And the stems and leaves live up to their common name. Even further up the path I noticed another specimen that had fully bloomed. Notice the dark purple veins on the delicate lavender petals. This is a beautiful plant that we are lucky to have in this area. Last year, the first blooming specimen I found was on June 15, only 4 days from now.



Along the same path I discovered the first specimen of the Silky Crazyweed (Oxytropis sericea). It is a very small flower, about 1/2" in length, a member of the pea family. I'm not sure about this identification, as several plants are similar in the locoweed and crazyweed families.


Another new bloomer along the path is the lovely Meadow Death Camas ( Zigadenus venenosus). (It is also known as Toxicoscordion venenosus, meaning poisonous garlic.) It is an extremely poisonous plant, toxic to both humans and livestock. All parts of this plant contain the poisonous alkaloid zygadenine, which some claim to be more potent than strychnine. One bulb, raw or cooked, can be fatal. It's leaves are grass like, very long and slender. The head of this plant shown at the right is probably about 4" in height. Notice the very immature buds in the image on the left.






Next to catch my eye was the immature Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum) . Eventually this will bloom into a lovely sulfur colored bouquet of flowers, but now it has a distinctive look of red buds. It's leaves are spatula shaped. Last year I discovered these starting up about June 21st in the Meadow Vue pasture. I haven't looked for them there yet.