Three "Flavors" of our native Oregon Grape

April and May is the time for Oregon Grape shrubs to show off their bright yellow flower clusters.  These displays are important nectar sources for our native pollinators...including hummingbirds!  In midsummer, dark purple to black berries will adorn these shrubs.  Important food for First Nations peoples, and still enjoyed as a sweet treat today by many!  We have three species of Oregon Grape here in the northwest:  Dull or Low Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa) lies close to the ground, has 15 to 17 leaflets, and has a matte finish to the leaves.  Creeping Oregon Grape (Mahonia repens) despite its name grows more upright and has broad leaflets with greatly reduced marginal prickles.  Tall or Glossy Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquafolium) does indeed grow tall, with 7 to 11 shiny leaflets.  It is the prickliest of the three; but still far less prickly than invasive English Holly (Ilex) which, although superficially similar, always has alternate leaflets compared to Oregon Grape which has opposite leaflets.  So enjoy the yellow flowers of spring and then sample the sweet fruits of summer with our Oregon Grape trifecta!

My Naturalist Outing schedule for the week of Earth Day is:

Thursday, April 22nd, Earth Day Owl Prowl in the Arboretum, meet at 8:00 pm.

Friday, April 23rd, Birding By Ear in Discovery Park, meet at 8:30 am.

Hope to see you this week!  

Ed 

Dull or Low Oregon Grape


Creeping Oregon Grape


Tall or Glossy Oregon Grape

Comments

  1. melbournevapesJuly 25, 2022 at 11:28 AM

    I always check this type of advisory post and I found your article which is related to my interest.Vape Pod This is a great way to increase knowledge for us. Thanks for sharing an article like this.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney fa...
Read more and watch the video »

Washington Trails Association Article

Image
I nterested in learning about the birds you see and hear on the trail? I recently did this collaborative with Washington Trails Association on birding and hiking, check it out! It will add a new dimension to your hiking enjoyment. WTA.ORG Bird Watching Hikes in Washington: Where to See Birds, Birbs and Borbs Bird  https://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/fall-destinations/bird-watching-hikes-in-washington
Read more and watch the video »

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney fa...
Read more and watch the video »