#yellow salsify

[kind-smile]

Mood: overcast but blooming 🧡☁

[cozy-nook]

summer, featuring things that make me stop and look twice ☘️

[quinnfrankephotography]

A wonderful walk this morning with a doomsday sun shining red down upon me.

[cactguy]

June 1 | Mt. Galbraith Park, CO

Mount Galbraith’s foothills host a rich diversity of wildflowers in June. Penstemon species display tubular blue to purple corollas, attracting native pollinators. Larkspur (Delphinium spp.) adds vertical structure with deep blue inflorescences. Salsify (Tragopogon spp.) is notable for its large, spherical seed heads. Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), an introduced species, stands out with its yellow and orange snapdragon-like flowers. Frosted Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.) presents pale, clustered blooms on silvery stems. Bright red Castilleja (paintbrush) species are semi-parasitic and often found near grasses. Miner’s Candle (Cryptantha virgata) produces tall white spikes, while Locoweed (Oxytropis) features pea-like flowers and is toxic to livestock.

[kedreeva]

I love salsifies

[mountrainiernps]

Invasive Species Awareness Week

Help us prevent the spread of invasive species! While many invasive plants can be beautiful, they can also damage waterways, harm wildlife, and outcompete sensitive native species. 

- Brushing dirt and debris from your boots and other outdoor gear can help prevent invasive species from hitching a ride from one location to another. 

- Other simple actions include learning to identify non-native species and reporting any invasive plant sightings. 

- At home, planting non-invasive species in your garden or using weed-free certified hay or mulch can be great steps. 

Thank you for helping us protect our unique natural ecosystems! ______ NPS/K. Popek Photo: Often called mountain bluet or Montana knapweed, these plants are beautiful but invasive here at Mount Rainier. Description: An up-close image of a blue flower.

NPS/K. Popek Photo: Yellow salsify, another invasive plant species found at Mount Rainier. Description: An up-close image of a yellow flower.

NPS/K. Popek Photo: A large patch of non-native foxglove. Description: A large number of pink and white flowers.

NPS/A. Borges Photo: A Mount Rainier invasive plant management crewmember showcases two particularly tall foxglove plants which have been hand pulled. Description: An individual in an orange shirt stands holding two tall, flowering plants.

NPS/A. Borges Photo: A Mount Rainier invasive plant management crewmember sits amongst a large patch of invasive herb Robert. Description: An individual holding a large handful of plants sits in a field infested with the same invasive plant. ~kp/kl

[kind-smile]

Where the wild things grow, yellow salsify shines like captured sunlight.

[cozy-nook]

She lingered there until dusk, liking the peace and calm of the little place, with its poplars whose rustle was like low friendly speech and its whispering grasses growing at will. —L.M. Montgomery