by Rich Leighton | Jun 18, 2018 | Interesting Nature Facts, Native Orchids, Natural History, Nature & Wildlife, Orchidaceae, Wildflowers
Giant Rattlesnake orchid (Goodyera oblongifolia) noted for its beautiful leaves is found throughout most of the Pacific Northwest has an interesting bit of folklore. Women of the Klallam Native American tribe used to rub the leaves of this plant on their bodies to...
by Rich Leighton | Jun 13, 2018 | Interesting Nature Facts, Natural History, Nature & Wildlife, Onagraceae, Wildflowers
Fireweed is not only a very beautiful member of the evening primrose family that is commonly found throughout the northern hemisphere, it also has several edible uses! The inner stems are sweet and juicy, the young tender leaves are full of vitamin C and great as an...
by Rich Leighton | Jun 8, 2018 | American Southwest, Asparagaceae, Interesting Nature Facts, Natural History, Nature & Wildlife, Wildflowers
One reason it is believed that this iconic yucca is losing habitat, and declining in numbers is in the fossil record of the recent extinction (in geological years) of the Shasta ground sloth, one of the giant sloths that went the way of the mammoths and other American...
by Rich Leighton | May 29, 2018 | Interesting Nature Facts, Natural History, Nature & Wildlife, Nature Photography, Wildflowers
Often mistaken for orchids or “weird mushrooms,” Indian pipes are actually plants in the heath family. Lacking chlorophyll and a means to produce their own food like most plants, they form a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi in the soil that helps them...
by Rich Leighton | Apr 19, 2018 | Interesting Nature Facts, Natural History, Wildflowers
The American lotus has extraordinarily large and beautiful pale yellow native aquatic wildflower has two amazing characteristics: one – the large circular lily pads (leaves) do not get wet on top, and water forms beads on top if splashed or rained on, but even...
by Rich Leighton | Oct 31, 2017 | Colorado, NANP, Natural History, Nature & Wildlife, Nature Photography, Photography, Rocky Mountains, Wildflowers
Following up on yesterday’s post in the Halloween theme, today’s post of another “spooky” bit of wildlife and nature – the mountain death camas. Over the summer I found myself in the Rocky Mountains looking for native orchids at around...
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