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Cutleaf Thelypody (Thelypodium laciniatum)Observer
conifernerdDescription
These beautiful and intriguing Cut-Leaf Thelypodiums need a better common name.
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Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Cottonwood trees have a bad rapport. They are either tearing your house’s foundation apart, or driving your allergies nuts. They spring out of the ground looking like cute baby quacking aspen, but don’t be fooled. A 60’ giant is about to appear in as little as a decade. So massive that it’s seeds rain down mimicking snow, or a cotton field, or the like the toxic air in the “upside down.” As if that wasn’t an aggressive approach at reproduction, they also madly reproduce by cloning themselves. They can also harness mass amounts of water in their root systems, so much that LA DWP has purposefully cut cottonwood groves down and poisoned their roots. I’ll always smile when I see a cottonwood. They represent aggressive beauty in the high desert and celebrate the legacy of the Owens Valley’s wilderness.
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Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima)Observer
conifernerdDescription
These massively tall plants are hard to miss amongst the high desert shrubs. They have a delicious fragrance that attracts hundreds of bees every hour while in bloom.
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Say's Stink Bug (Chlorochroa sayi)Observer
conifernerdDescription
I love the orange trim to this little guy’s exoskeleton. Sited “napping” on an Inyo Bush Lupin.
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Yellow Salsify (Tragopogon dubius)Observer
conifernerdDescription
These wicked weeds have the most incredible looking “seed puffs.”
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Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)Observer
conifernerdDescription
The flowers on Milkweeds are so enchanting!
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Cottonthorn (Tetradymia axillaris)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Very beautiful
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Antelope Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata)Observer
conifernerdDescription
A wicked beauty.
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Yellow Beeplant (Cleomella lutea)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Early Bee Plants! Going to keep checking on these, to see how much they grow throughout the summer.
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Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii)Observer
conifernerdDescription
It’s always an annual joy when Desert Peaches are in bloom. This shrub is very mundane looking...until it blooms, then it’s pink fire!
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Mat Rock Spiraea (Petrophytum caespitosum)Observer
conifernerdDescription
“Moss! ...oh wait, Lichen!! .... wait ...a Rose Bush??” Haha we’ve all had this odd brainstorm when we come across a Rock Spiraea for the first time. The Ancient Bristlecone Forest is the perfect place to see these incredible plants up close. Their silly mushroom shaped flowers and woody underside are captivatingly fun. In some places, huge circular mats of single Spiraeas grow up to 5’ across! But most you see alongside the trail never get more than a 6” across. Yes- this dramatic difference in size has to do with age. The bigger, the older. So why do so few achieve a significant size and age? I think they take advice from their ancient neighbors: location, location, location.
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Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii)Observer
conifernerdDescription
I remember the first time I came across a Desert Peach: I was on horseback (somewhere in the steeps near Big Pine), and this enormous radiant pink bush could be seen from a mile away. I’m not a biblical man, but “Moses and the Burning Bush” come to mind. For a short time, these relatively boring desert shrubs become a gloriously decadent display of thousands of flowers. They vary in color richness from shrub to shrub, displayed here with a summer storm over Mono Lake in the background.
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Flatbud Prickly Poppy (Argemone munita)Observer
conifernerdDescription
These flowers make me smile with their googly-eyes! 2019 was a great summer for them, they were everywhere.
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Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonicum var. arizonicum)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Wicked, thorny, and uninviting- these thistles appear to be waiting to ensnare you with their devilish charm...sure enough! I visited this bloom several times, intrigued by their incredible large crimson pink flowers and ire silver-green leaves, hoping to catch a hummingbird in pollinating action (but no such luck). These are true characters, unique and painfully charming.
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Giant Blazingstar (Mentzelia laevicaulis)Observer
conifernerdDescription
One of my absolute favorite wildflowers! I was thrilled to find this massive grove of them, roadside on HW 395. They can reach a surprising 5’ in height, and look like a recently erupted firework. After peek blooming ended, this grove looked like a messy hay-straw graveyard. Hope to see this bloom next year...
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Chicory (Cichorium intybus)Observer
conifernerdDescription
The morning sunlight eliminates these baby blue beauties, creating an indigo glow across the valley floor! I prefer and use the common name: Blue Sailors.
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Yellow Beeplant (Cleomella lutea)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Okay- so if you love Bee Plants like me, you’ve seen them in relatively small sizes (maxing out at 2’ in height). But these incredible plume-like plants break the norm reaching up to 5.5’ tall. Is this a subspecies? Or a lucky Bee Plant with the right conditions to grow tall?
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Yellow Beeplant (Cleomella lutea)Observer
conifernerdDescription
This has become my favorite wild flower of Summer 2019- it’s delicate and beautiful, yet silly and playful. They mock desert plumes- while keeping it authentic with their goofy seed pods. These specimens were up to 5.5’ tall. I can’t wait to find a pink one!
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Wolf Lichens (Genus Letharia)Observer
conifernerdDescription
An uncommon sighting on ancient Bristlecone wood- this aired climate can be harsh for them, but I assume Bristlecone’s extremely resinous wood as it’s food source will make up for it!
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Tall Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata)Observer
conifernerdDescription
This awesome primrose was 7’ tall! Some can get up to 8!
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Shasta Blue (Icaricia shasta)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Stunning Colors! Metallic teal blue shines from peacock-like black spots. This butterfly was about 1" in size.
Overhead dark clouds threatened snow, this delicate little-one was seeking a place for shelter in low lying plants.
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Nevada Tiger Moth (Apantesis nevadensis)Observer
conifernerdDescription
Gorgeous sighting! This moth reminds me of a fabulous fur coat.
Spotted climbing rock exterior of Schulman Grove visitor center.
I returned to the same spot searching for another specimen. I haven't found anymore alive, but I did find five wings laying on the ground. There were several eager squirrels running by, I assume these moths are a tasty treat ...except for the wings of course.