Field Guide to the Plants of the UBNA

Date: 4/29/14
Time: 3:00-4:00
Weather: Full Sun!
Temperature: 75 degrees

Here are my field notes on eight plant species around my site.

Scouler's Willow Salix scouleriana

Lodgepole Pine Pinus contorta



Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana



Garry Oak Quercus garryana




Oregon Ash Fraxinus latifolias

Red Osier Dogwood Cornus sericea

 Thimbleberry Rubus Parviflorus

Pacific Willow Salix lucida

Some phenological observations from my site:

Spring is here! Everything is much greener than when I first starting observing my site. Here is a photo of my site now:

As you can see, its much more foliaged and alive! The deciduous Red Alders, Black Cottonwoods, Red Osier Dogwoods, Oregon Ashes, and Salix sps. all have their new leaves. The only tree that is slightly phenologically behind is the Garry Oak (probably due to its fire reliance in an area that isn't prone to fires):

As you can see in the second illustration, the leaves of the Garry Oak are only about 2 cm in length, very undeveloped in comparison to the rest of the deciduous trees in this area. Also, the Garry Oaks still have their dried up leaves from last year at the base of their new growth leaves. Also in this illustration I was measuring the length of the bulrushes surrounding the perimeter of my pond and an adjacent pond. Another plant that is very foliaged right now is Yarrow Achillea millefollium. Yarrow is native to this area as well as highly medicinal, used as a diaphoretic and astringent, especially for menstruation. Historically yarrow was used before hops as an alcoholic beverage in the Middle Ages known as "gruit." Yarrow is characteristic for its trice pinnate leaves and white inflorescence. In grows well in full sun and thus can be found on the grassland patches of UBNA as well as all around Seattle. 

I was so happy when I saw this coming up near my site- Camas or Camassia leichtlinii. Camas is a very important food source for Native peoples of this area. Its sweet bulb is prized and was once traded all around the state. Native people maintained fields of camas through selective prairie burning. Through these stewardship practices, Native Americans maintained large prairies for bulbs such as Camas, as well as edible roots such as Cous and Bitterroot. In these prairie habitats ericaceae species flourished through burning and pruning, as well as grasses for weaving, as well as Garry Oaks, which provided Indians with acorns.



Mystery Species! Is it Saskatoon Berry?