Alberta Wanderings

[Hoy]

Butterburs are charming plants, at least the flowers. I can be without the leaves of most species. . . But I have not dared to plant any in my garden

[cohan]

I guess you'd need quite a bit of space for them in the garden..lol--I'd like to try some plantings, but I can give them many metres space...
Actually i really like the leaves of the ones we have here-- the arrow leaf type can get large, to 30cm long, and I like the way they stand straight up, and also like the white hairs on them..
In fact, though I like the flowers--mostly on immature stalks- the plant is flashiest when the leaves and seeding stalks are at full size--you can see them from far away, unlike the flowers!
We also have what I presume to be P frigidus palmatus, with palmate leaves which are super common in woodlands here, but rarely flower, and I like these just for the palmate leaves--usually not too big 10 cm or so, but can be bigger...

[cohan]

From the same walk on May 05; same album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/May052011FirstWildFlowers#
A view of the roadside wet area (we call it 'slough' like all wet areas that aren't big enough to call lakes--marsh/bog/fen/swamp--those are not vernacular here...lol) which is cut in two by the road.. usually deep enough to hold some standing water all year, with marshy areas around...



Several willows and a happy pollinator..

     

   

[cohan]

Same day, same album, but off the road and out onto the farm..
https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/May052011FirstWildFlowers#

Another Salix, this time female flowers

 

Just emerging Caltha palustris, no flowers yet that day.. Ranunculus sp, and Rumex sp

            

Several views of pasture areas on the farm; most of this standing water will not last, though depending on rain, some spots will have water all year, and many will remain damp/wet..

                                           

[cohan]

A couple more road views from May 17, same day as last view I posted in Image of the Day..

[McDonough]

Cool shots Cohan, we never have those straight-as-an-arrow highway views here, our roads are more like spaghetti. The Salix bloom closeups are most artistic, I have looked at these closely several times, close attention to details is one of the joys of gardening and nature, thanks for sharing these

[cohan]

Cool shots Cohan, we never have those straight-as-an-arrow highway views here, are roads are more like spaghetti. The Salix bloom closeups are most artistic, I have looked at these closely several times, close attention to details is one of the joys of gardening and nature, thanks for sharing these

Thanks, Mark--except for occasional roads near rivers (not that many around here) or until you get to the mountains, straight roads are definitely the norm here!

I have some more spring flower shots coming up, and many of them are macro views-- Shepherdia, Geocaulon, Violas--many flowers that must be seen very close-up to appreciate at all...lol

[Hoy]

Cool shots Cohan, we never have those straight-as-an-arrow highway views here, our roads are more like spaghetti. The Salix bloom closeups are most artistic, I have looked at these closely several times, close attention to details is one of the joys of gardening and nature, thanks for sharing these

Mark, you know why the catkins like the polar bear fur has a light colour outermost and a dark interior?

In Norway I don't think we even have one mile straight roads!

[stephenb]

Looks like Sweden...

[Hoy]

Looks like Sweden...

Still alive Stephen; have you tasted the Senecio?

[cohan]

Looks like Sweden...

I guess there should be many parts that look similar to Northern Europe--especially here around the boreal forest zone--half our species are 'circumboreal'!

[stephenb]

Looks like Sweden...

Still alive Stephen; have you tasted the Senecio?

You don't get rid of me that quickly! Senecio poisoning is a cumulative effect.... I doubt that the dosage from the two plants you gave me is sufficient.... (NB! this is a commonly wild foraged plant in Japan).

In English it's called the Aleutian Ragwort and as such is included in the Flora of North America:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200024464
Perhaps you'd like to check your plants against the key? Mine probably won't flower until next year!

[Hoy]

Stephen, it seems to fit the description quite well. And it is sure it isn't th common ragwort

[cohan]

May 31, a 'sprint' into the mountains ( I call these daytrips that because we usually cover a lot of ground, and so not too much time is spent at any one stop)..
This trip was about 525km round trip, taking about 13 hours including a quick breakfast and fueling stop in Rocky Mountain House, and another short stop there for a couple of grocery items on the way home.. of that time, about 6.5 hours were spent driving, and the rest divided among  10 or so stops (not going back to count the sites right now...lol)....

Spring was late this year, and snowfalls heavy in many areas, although much of May was warm, so I wasn't sure what I would find floristically, but many sites came through with hoped for or unexpected finds!

First full album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011AOnTheRoad#
Things were green here in the 'lowlands'--just near home, and just past Rocky Mtn House

 

Always good to get those first views of the mountains....

 

The road (Highway 11/ David Thompson Highway, which extends from the Banff- Jasper Highway /Icefields Parkway junction, past home and on east through the city of Red Deer where we often shop) past Rocky Mtn House and into the foothills and mountains, is mercifully nearly empty on a late May weekday, and seems endless, as are the views!

 

More animal life seen this time than we usually have--from the common-- deer, to the not so often seen domestic animals which roadsigns warn you to watch for! To more 'wilderness' animals, seen later..

 

[cohan]

The seemingly 'bare' grassy and gravelly roadsides along into the foothills seem uninteresting speeding past (apart from seasons and times when patches of colour may catch your eye) but in fact there are many nice plants, which no doubt get space to grow due to roadbuilding and maintenance have deforested this strip, and keeping some of it bare...
Just starting at this time of year to grow and flower....

https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011BNordegg#

The usual players: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi   Dryas drummondii         Artemisia sp          Antennaria sp

         

Some early flowers: Dryas             Oxytropis sericea?                   Arctostaphylos                      Astragalus sp?

             

Ah, what the heck..... Taraxacum;     the site.....