Invaders

The native wildflowers are still trying to recover from the recent snows, but one non-native invader is already flowering.  Myrtle Spurge (Euphorbia myrcinites) used to be sold in nurseries because it's a drought-tolerant succulent that thrives in Colorado. Unfortunately, it is also poisonous and spreads quickly, reducing native grasses and food plants.  I've seen it blooming already in many gardens in Green Mountain.  It's probably been there for years, and continues to thrive.  It has been designated for eradication as a List A Noxious Weed.  Here's what the Department of Agriculture says about it:

"Myrtle spurge contains a toxic, milky sap which can cause severe skin irritations, including blistering. This plant is poisonous if ingested; causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Wearing gloves, long sleeves, shoes, and eye protection is highly recommended when in contact with myrtle spurge, as all plant parts are considered poisonous." 

It's not hard to remove when the soil is damp, and now's the time to do it, before it goes to seed!

Myrtle Spurge  (Euphorbia myrcinites)

Wet Trails

I didn't go out on the mountain this weekend. With all the snow (and more right now) I don't like to go on the soggy trails. Green Mountain has very thin soils so any knobby tires or boots deepen the trails. When the trails get rutted, then people braid them trying to find a dry path. The wider trails allow invasive plants to move in--things like knapweed--so that's why i try to keep the trails narrow.  It's better to visit a place like Roxborough Park on weekends like this. There the gravelly soil drains better. It'll be dry on Green Mountain soon. Maybe!

A few early bloomers

Slowly but surely the mountain is waking up, but with another snow, nothing's in a hurry.  On the north side of the mountain I saw several biscuit roots (Lomatium orientale) blooming.  Other than that only the violets near the Utah trailhead.  Now two plants are blooming.  Looks like cold weather again with some more moisture.  It'll just make June all the better!

Biscuit root is in the Apiaceae--Celery Family-- which you can tell if you look at the leaves.  In this picture the leaves are still unfolding. The flowers are grouped together in an umbel (like umbrella).  If you could zoom in enough you'd see that the individual flowers aren't open yet.  

If you're out this weekend, it's supposed to be warm, so you may some more flowers opening up.

First blooms!

The first flowers!  It's not much but I found a couple yellow violets (Viola nuttallii) on the south side of Green Mountain just up from the Utah parking area. These violets are interesting in that they attract bumblebees and butterflies, but if there aren't many pollinators, they also produce a later type of flower which is self-pollinating and is a backup to the showy early flowers.

Yellow Violet (Viola nuttallii)

The mountain is greening up, but the wildflowers are still developing their first leaves.  Once the violets start, they are usually a bunch more within the next week or two.  With a storm predicted for next week hopefully we'll get some moisture that will give us a good year for flowers.