Foreground: coniferous trees in black silhouette, background: dark grey rolling hills, with a peach coloured sky above. Blue-grey jagged clouds above.

thunderstorm
#photography #SookeHills #ThunderAndLightning #WestCoastKin

Satinflower - Olsynium douglasii. Member of the Iris family.

Rustyhair Saxifrage - Micranthes rufidula. With a strand or two of Wallace's Selaginella to keep it company.

Native #wildflowers are popping in the hills of #VancouverIsland. These two beauties were found in the #SookeHills over the weekend.

Magenta petals of Satinflower - Olsynium douglasii. We are at the northern end of their range.

Rustyhair Saxifrage - Micranthes rufidula. Our early saxifrage.
🌿

Tall Oregon Grape - Mahonia Aquifolium. Its presence often indicates dry to moderately dry, moisture-deficient sites. It tends to like well-drained, acidic soils. This one was beside a rocky trail.

Rusty-haired saxifrage - Micranthes rufidula. It is an indicator species on Vancouver Island. Its presence indicates specific environmental conditions: moist, shaded habitats on rocky slopes and cliffs.

Rusty-haired saxifrage - Micranthes rufidula. Just starting to bloom. Always a pleasure to see these dotting the cliffs and wet, rocky seeps in the hills of southern Vancouver Island.

Spring Gold - Lomatium utriculatium. This member of the carrot family is probably our earliest native wildflower bloomer. I've seen it in the hills as early as late December.

Jan 15: wildflowers already blooming in the #SookeHills, #VancouverIsland😍! Spring Gold, Tall Oregon Grape & Rusty-haired saxifrage. The saxifrage is an indicator species here, signalling moist, shaded habitats on rocky slopes & cliffs. Its presence tells us about soil quality & moisture. #ecology