Tag Archives: Windflower

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Craig Tooley is sheltering in place at the Mendonoma Coast. He has decided to try to take a photo every day that spreads JOY. I am the lucky recipient of many of Craig's photos and I'm privileged to be able to share them with you here. First is one of our native orchids, Spotted Coralroot, Corallorrhiza maculata, including a close-up of the exquisite blossom. Feeling the JOY yet?

Craig also photographed Wood Anemone, also called Windflower.

This native is in the Buttercup family and its scientific name is Anemone oregana. Rick and I have this wildflower growing on our property too. The flower is very delicate. In fact, if you touch it, it might fall apart. Suffice to say, the bloom doesn't last long, which can be a reminder to stay in present time so you don't miss it!

Thanks to Craig for the JOY! To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

Weather report: Foggy and cloudy this morning...brrr! But the sun has prevailed this afternoon. Some high clouds might make for a beautiful sunset tonight.

Spring doesn't know...

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The rains of this week have brought several wildflowers into bloom. One is the delicate Windflower, Anemone oregana. It is also called Western Wood Anemone or Oregon Anemone. It is a California native, though it is also found in a few other western states, including Oregon. It's a perennial herb. The juice from Windflowers can cause skin rashes. Who knew such a lovely little wildflower had a bite?

The petals are so delicate that if you touch them they might fall away. So now we know to look but don't touch. These wildflowers just bloomed on our property in Anchor Bay. They are quite small, perhaps two inches tall, and are on the forest floor near Quinliven Creek.

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A group of delicate five-petaled Windflowers survived the rains to bloom in the sunshine today. They are also called Wood Anemone and are members of the Buttercup family. I once touched one and it fell apart! So I am careful to admire them from a distance. In the bottom of the picture is a piece of lichen that fell out of a tree during a recent storm. It feels like spring is finally here on the Mendocino Coast today.