FLOWERS
Issue 17, Autumn 2022Goldenrod blooms in midsummer. photo by Thomas Noland
FLOWERS
Issue 17, Autumn 2022
Sara & Thomas Noland, Guest Managing Editors
Table of Contents is below this intro
Welcome to the fall 2022 issue of Salish Magazine. This issue is focused on flowers, which might seem odd for the fall season, but in fact this is a great time to appreciate the fall bloomers. Fall is also the time when many gardeners start to think about adding perennial plants to their yards, taking advantage of the upcoming winter rains to help new plants get their roots established. And of course it’s never too early to learn about some plants you might not be familiar with so you can be on the lookout for them next spring.
The Salish Sea region is home to dozens of native flowering plant species. While natives are often recognized for their value to pollinators and wildlife, the variety and beauty of native flowering plants is also worthy of study and celebration. Native flower shapes range from daisy-like to tubular; flowers appear as single blooms on long stems or in glorious sprays of tiny blossoms; and in colors from neon pink and yellow through subtle pinks and creams. With a little practice you can learn to spot flowers throughout most of the year — brightening dark forests in early spring, glowing with color throughout the summer, persisting in more mellow shades late into fall.
Big leaf maple flowers. photo by John F. Williams
In this issue, you can learn about flowering native shrubs and trees, which are often overlooked in favor of dramatic wildflowers like orchids, lilies, and the other low-growing beauties along woodland trails. (For example, if you take the time to look up, the pendulous flowers of a big-leaf maple are dramatic in their own right, particularly on an overcast spring day.) Much has been said lately about the vital importance of native flowers for native pollinators, and this issue’s article provides insights on that topic.
Orange honeysuckle, a flowering native vine. photo by Sara Noland
Flowers pop up in places you might not expect. Most folks are familiar with the common dandelion that lights up lawns in the springtime; is this non-native plant really all bad? Even the sidewalks under our feet can support a diversity of flowers (along with insects and other creatures).
The prairie lands of our region support special flowering plants and insects that rely upon them. Prairies are beloved for their flush of spring flowers, but what happens to the insects later in the season when the camas and other natives have gone to seed? This issue provides interesting facts and theories about the seasonal succession of flowers on the prairie.
Douglas aster flowers in September. photo by Thomas Noland
We’ll leave you with photos of a few of our favorite flowers from our own yard, neighborhood, and local parks—a diversity of colors and shapes throughout the year. Hope you enjoy the articles in this issue and are inspired to learn more about native flowers.
Issue 17, Table of Contents
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Mountain Lilies
by Laura Marx
Autumn 2022
The white avalanche lily and the yellow glacier lily are native Pacific Northwest flowers that are related, but they are usually found at slightly different altitudes.
All Kinds of Flowers!
by Fayla Schwartz
Autumn 2022
This is an amazing overview of some of the most common flowering plant families in the Salish Sea region, and it highlights some representative species.
Dandelion Transformation
by John F. Williams
Autumn 2022
How did a dandelion flower create dozens and dozens of these seeds? This six minute video takes a look at that transformation process inside the flowers.
Poetry-17
by Barb Erickson
Autumn 2022
This poem by Barb Erickson plays with metaphors relating her beautiful photos of flowers to our local heavenly bodies — some welcome rays of sunshine as Autumn begins
Sidewalk Wilderness
by Sara and Thomas Noland
Autumn 2022
The sidewalk may not come to mind when thinking about habitat for plants and animals. But next time you walk along a sidewalk, slow down a bit and take a closer look.
The Dandy Dandelion
by Sarah Lorse
Autumn 2022
The dandelion brings a burst of cheery yellow in early spring and summer seed-poofs to wish upon — a controversial flower, beloved by children and detested by those seeking pristine lawns
After the Camas
by Katherine Derbyshire
Autumn 2022
In May, a carpet of blue camas and yellow desert parsley shimmers in the sun. The grass is green and lush; small trees here and there show off their new leaves.
Native Flowering Shrubs
by Julie O’Donald
Autumn 2022
Native plants co-evolved with local birds, wildlife, and insects. Nature’s gardens include an abundance of flowering shrubs at the right time of year to feed native bees.
Salish Magazine
Publisher: John F. Williams
Guest Managing Editors: Sara & Tom Noland
This magazine is a nonprofit project of:
SEA-Media
P.O. Box 1407 Suquamish WA 98392
info@sea-media.org www.salishmagazine.org
Copyright SEA-Media, 2022
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
SEA-Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation
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Thanks so much for your interest and your support.