Some recent photos from Western Montana

Ipomopsis spicata

Fritillaria atropurpurea

Clematis hirsutissima

Pulsatilla patens

Townsendia parryii

Clematis columbiana

Calypso bulbosa

Wow, what an array of fabulous plants and great photos!  Kelseya uniflora and Fritillaria atropurpurea are astounding!

Brian_W wrote:

Greetings,

Here are some photos I took recently in Western Montana.

Enjoy.

I certainly am enjoying!  Fantastic photography and fantastic subjects!!!

Not that anyone would notice, or even care, but did you notice:
The Clematis hirsutissima leaves are first divided into three segments, and the center segment seems to be eaten, deformed or somehow reduced in every leaf?
Is this a normal trait?

Many thanks, Brian.  You are warming hearts all over the world with these incredible plants and images. 'Legendary' is a very apt description for the fabulous Kelseya.

Beautiful images, many thanks for posting them.

Really remarkable plants and pictures! I wonder how old that plant of Kelseya is? And so free flowering!

RickR wrote:

Brian_W wrote:

Greetings,

Here are some photos I took recently in Western Montana.

Enjoy.

I certainly am enjoying!  Fantastic photography and fantastic subjects!!!

I'm supporting you, Rick! Fantastic! (But I didn't notice the deformed leaves though)

Greetings,

Thanks for the compliments.  Kelseya uniflora is my all time favorite plant.  I have visited all of the populations in Montana and Wyoming.  The Rocky Mountain Front in Western Montana is the species center of distribution.  Any limestone cliff in this area will have numerous plants growing on them.  Its always a joy to see them covered with tiny, fragrant flowers.  From a distance, they glow bright pink.  In the lower elevations the plants bloom very early (late February) when the surrounding landscape is still covered with snow.  They are survivors of the ice age.  They grow incredibly slow, and some plants are no doubt hundreds and possibly thousands of years old.  

A wonderful glowing pink clump

A big clump in the Beartooth Mountains, Montana

In the Pryor Mountains, Montana

Big Belt Mountains, Montana

Marvellous and very exiting! I haven't seen anything similar since I visited Ecuador 12 years ago ;)
How is the cushion of Kelseya to touch - is it hard or soft?

Thanks for the great pictures of the legendary plant(s) Brian . Kelseya is a dream version of our Raoulia eximia

Greetings,

Thanks for the interest.  The cushions of Kelseya are as hard as the rock that they grow on. 

Brian

That huge ball of pink Kelseya is a stunning plant Brian. A fantastic photo  :-X
I had no idea Kelseya uniflora grows at low elevations. What is the lowest elevation that you have seen these plants?

Greetings,

The lowest elevation I've seen Kelseya grow is about 3,500 ft in the northern Pryor mountains. They weren't the finest examples I've seen. These plants were growing in a shady canyon and there was no evidence of flowering. Petrophytum caespitosum was growing there too, and they looked a lot healthier.  In the Big Belt mountains of Western Montana Kelseya grows at about 5,000-6,000 ft.  These plants are all very healthy and produce abundant flowers each spring.  Kelseya is very tolerant of hot, dry conditions but these need to be balanced by cool nights. 

Brian

Here are a few more recent pics:

Penstemon eriantherus

Yucca glauca

Castilleja angustifolia

Lewisia rediviva


Opuntia polyacantha

Physaria didymocarpa

Eriogonum pauciflorum from the Pryor mountains

Eriogonum soliceps

Landscape in the Pryor mountains

Beautiful, Brian! How come I think your wild plants over there are more exciting than mine?

Wow! Every plant and photo is great :)
I don't recall ever seeing Kelseya in flower like that, amazing!
Also Ipomopsis (which I have considered on Alplains list) and the Eriogonums are extra special!