One of the fun things about tracking wildflowers is that it seems there's always something new. I've been doing this for 12 years on the mountain, just out of curiosity, but each year I find something new. Was I just not looking closely, bad timing, or is a nw species looking for a home?
I can answer that question sometimes. My neighbor said shed found an interesting new plant in the open space behind our houses. Since that area was scraped for planned development in the '60's, nothing in there is in its original High Prairie condition, so I was suspicious. Sure enough, the mystery plant is Houndstongue, a noxious weed I'd seen in the mountains, but never down here. The state has it classified as List B, so although they don't have a plan to eradicate it, they ask anyone who has it on their property to control it.
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| Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) |
The second is much more likable. Two weeks ago I spayed it near the Utah trailhead, but since then I've found it in three other pace, widely separated, all over the mountain. This one is called Pony Beebalm, and is a pretty little mint.
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| Pony Beebalm (Monarda pectinata) |
Keep your eyes open...you never know what'll pop up.
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