Flowers of the Barkerville Hiking Trails

ANEMONE ● blooms at the edge of receding spring snow in high elevations. Later in seed, their plume gives them the name “tow head babies.”

ARNICA ● offers a fine showing of sunshine yellow at timberline and beyond.

ASTER ● mostly purple, found at middle to high elevations. Similar to fleabane in appearance, its petal arrangement determines the specie.

YELLOW FAWN LILY ● covers mountain meadows in vast carpets, blooming as the snow fields melt. The specie most common the Barkerville hiking region is yellow, predominantly found high on the Mount Murray trails. It has a short season, blooming the last two weeks in June and the first week in July. Local folk with binoculars, watch the slopes of Mount Murray from Williams Creek Flats for the first hint of color that herald the arrival of the Yellow Lily.

MOUNTAIN BUTTERCUP ● likes mountain meadows and rocky slopes. Petals are a brilliant yellow and shine like patent leather. Enjoys a long season or as long as it may be in any given year.

CHALICE CUP ● a flower that blooms early among the avalanche lilies and anemones. When it goes to seed, its tawny mop gives it the name, locally, “Old Man of the Mountain”.

CINQUEFOIL ● color is less brilliant than the buttercup and the petals form a less defined cup. Cinquefoil has a base under the petals not common to the buttercup. It may be found at all elevations in season, July and August.

COLTSFOOT ● found at the lowest range, close around Barkerville. The flowers appear before the leaves and often reach the seed stage before being recognized.

COLUMBINE ● red, likes to be close to roadsides, but will settle for moist ground at higher elevations.

COW PARSNIP ● (Siwash Rhubarb) grows at all elevations in damp places. Of all the hiking trails, it flourishes along the Chinese ditch lines where it grows shoulder-high, nourished by a supply of water lying in the ditches. Its broad head of small sweet flowerets draws flies and other insects in abundance.

DRUMMOND DRYAS ● Mountain Avens – found at all elevations in gravel areas. Feathery seed clusters have a windblown beauty. It is thought by authorities on flowers that the Avens was blown into Barkerville Mountains from higher mountains to the east.

DWARF DOGWOOD ● short stemmed, mid range plant, it develops a cluster of red berries from which it’s other name, bunchberry is derived.

INDIAN HELLEBORE ● in June, this plant pokes through the soil in wet mountain meadows in circles of small colonies. Each sturdy stalk has its leaves tightly wrapped like a cone. The plant is thought to be poisonous to some animals and insects. The flower looks green but upon examination, is seen to be yellow.

FLEABANE ● a high elevation daisy like flower, very plentiful. It is similar in appearance to the aster.

GENTIAN ● one is a smooth alpine variety in glaucous blue, found in high meadows, often well-hidden in grasses.

GLOBEFLOWER ● found in wet mountain places. It flowers early along with the avalanche or snow lily.

GOATSBEARD ● this plant is very showy in some seasons, even though its petals are ivory. The plant grows 3 to 7 feet tall in moist woodland, and the flower heads cascade.

GOLDENROD ● plentiful growth along roadsides.

GRASS OF PARNASSUS ● graceful plant with small white flowers a-top 8-12 inch stems has a luxurious ruffle of smooth dark green leaves at the base. It likes to be next to mountain ponds and streams. It chooses marsh marigolds and globe flowers for neighbors.

HAREBELL ● this delicate flower ranges to mid-alpine.

HEATHER, PINK ● found growing as tough carpets in high woodlands and on open slopes and ridges. Closely approximates the base of weather-stunted evergreens.

HEATHER, WHITE ● is found in the same territory as the pink heather. Its growth pattern is more picturesque in that it either forms bouncy, round cushions of varying circumferences, or interlinks in large circles over rocky surfaces or around tree. The yellow heather is much less abundant in this region. The heather bells of these species last through August.

INDIAN PIPE ● a parasitic plant found in deep shade, consequently always at lower elevations of the trails.

KALMIA ● an alpine laurel found in wet mountain meadows.

KINNIKINNICK ● a ground cover type of plant. It flowers early into delicate pink bells which develop into red berries, much savored by grouse in the fall.

LADY’S SLIPPER ● grows at low to medium altitudes within woodland shade. The white variety is becoming rare and should be considered endangered. Picking of this enchanting flower is discouraged. Small purple calypso is endangered as well.

LOUSEWORT ● found in sub-alpine fields. One species is called “Elephant Head.” It grows in cold wet areas; its blue color is outstanding.

LUPINE ● enjoys a wide range of habitat, at least to sub-alpine. In a good season, grows profusely beside all roads and along the trails. It does well in disturbed ground as in cleared copses or on abandoned mining sites.

MARSH MARIGOLD ● found in wet mountain meadows. It is bluish when in bud, and then gradually turns white.

MEADOW RUE ● grows moderately high in mountain meadows. Those with the graceful yellow stamen are the male plant.

MIMULUS ● the pink and the yellow mimulus grow throughout the range of the trails in moist places. The pink color of which varies in intensity, is commonly called “monkey flower”. It is said that at one time in the past, the yellow mimulus all over the world lost its scent.

MONKSHOOD ● is found mainly on the Sisters Mountains.

MOSS CAMPION ● grows at high altitudes and in the shape of tufted cushions, it clings closely to rocks and talus slopes due to a tap root that can anchor itself 1.5 meters into the mountain surface. With its tiny pink and purple flowers, it is a favorite of mountain hikers. It is most abundant on Mount Agnes.

MOUNTAIN SORREL ● the six to ten inch spike of the Mountain Sorrel supports a cluster of pale green flowers, making it easily overlooked when in bloom. It becomes remarkably showy later in the season when the seeds turn wine colored and bronze. Leaves, like grass of Parnassus, ruffle around the base of the plant. Found on talus slopes or around the lower edge of rock slides where grey stone adds to its photographic quality.

ORCHID ● a spike shaped water loving plant with many popular names, found on the trails at low to medium elevations. Among the names commonly given to it are “bog orchid”, “rein orchid”, “ladies tresses”, and “water hyacinth”. Regardless of the name it is given, this orchid is the most sweetly scented of all mountain flowers.

PAINTBRUSH ● commonly called Indian Paintbrush. Found throughout the full length of the hiking trails. The color ranges from palest rose to strong rich red, adding vibrancy to the mountain meadows. Lasts until frost overtakes it.

PEARLING EVERLASTING ● all ranges of elevation. As the name implies, it is weather hardy and durable.

PENSTEMON ● there are several varieties of penstemon along the trails. The most common known as “Beardtongue”, preferring rocky ridges and slopes from mid to high elevations.

PRINCE’S PINE ● throughout the forested area. Of the wintergreen family, its leaves are evergreen. It is also known as “pipsissewa”.

PUSSY TOES ● a good showing of the pink pussy-toes throughout most of the hiking area.

QUEEN ANNE’S LACE ● “wild carrot”, in bloom until September, wide ranging.

QUEEN’S CUP ● “wood lily”, associates with Dwarf Dogwood in damp forested soil. Blooms are gone by the end of July; seed is blue with a bloom on it.

RHODODENDRON ● tall shrubs with white flowers. It is seen on lightly forested, mossy mountain shoulders. The blossoms fall quickly. One of the buck brush plants as is the azalea.

SOLOMON SEAL ● both Solomon Seal and False Solomon Seal grow to moderate elevations along the trails. The leaves of both are similar; the flowers have different arrangements.

TIGER LILY ● or “Columbine” grows in meadows to timberline and some venture into low mountain meadows. It often associates with lupine, the gold and purple giving a complimentary glow.

TWIN FLOWER ● a delicate early bloomer, beautiful early patches of these scented flowers abundant along the Stanley-Barkerville Road above Richfield. It has a short flowering span.

TWISTED STALK ● grows at all elevations in at least five varieties. Two relatives are False Solomon Seal and Fairy Bells.

VALERIAN ● can be seen by the hiker growing knee high as far as the sub-alpine region. It likes moist ground, is happy in sun or shade, and is also known as False Heliotrope.

WILLOW HERB ● commonly called “Fireweed”. Plentiful along all hiking trails except on drier heights. There are three species, purple, white and yellow. It favors growth in areas scourged with fire or slash burn. The yellow type likes water. It can be found specifically growing along a little creek near the road which accesses the Sisters Mountains.

VIOLETS ● yellow or violet dot the woods of the lower range trails, blooming early and have a short season.

YARROW ● considered as nothing more than a weed in many places. It exists throughout the summer along the mountain trails. It is known to some as “milfoil”.

Anemone

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YellowArnicaTH1

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asterTH

heatherTH2

ColumbineTH

harebellTH

alpineflowers

BroadLeavedWillowherb

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Goldenrod

Huckleberry

LadySlipper

Thimbleberry

YellowMonkeyFlower

Anemone
Aster
Columbine
Harebell
Heather
Monkshood
Arnica
Langsdorf Lousewort

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Glacial lily
Broad-Leaved Willowherb
Cotton Grass
Goldenrod
Huckleberry
Lady Slipper
Thimbleberry
Yellow Monkey Flower
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