Spring Okanagan Wildflowers

Even before the snows have completely melted, the Okanagan wildflowers start to bloom. Look for those first little pops of bright yellow near the end of March, and then keep your camera ready, you never know what you will discover during the rest of spring!

Note from Cindy: I am NOT going to claim to be an expert when it comes to wildflowers. I just started learning the names this year. The photos are from flowers that I have discovered while out and about in Westbank and the Westside (every year I find new ones). You will notice, many of the wildflowers are unnamed (I couldn't find them in my book) and there may be a few mistakes. Please feel free to send in correct names and any other suggestions or comments (cindy@experiencewestbank.com).

Thank-you Alice for helping me with the names of many of these wildflowers! - Cindy

Sagebrush Buttercup

Middle to the end of March

Sagebrush Buttercup: One of the first signs of spring on the Okanagan hillsides are the bright yellow blossoms from the Sagebrush Buttercup. You will find these while hiking amongst the sagebrush and Ponderosa pine.

This picture was taken at the end of March, 2006 in Glen Canyon near the hoodoos.

April

Oregon Grape Blossoms

Oregon Grape: I never noticed oregon grape flowers before! This bush with holly-like leaves is spread through the Okanagan hills. Later in the summer, they are easy to identify by their blue-purple small berries that hang in clusters like grapes. As the summer turns to fall, the dark green foilage begins to turn red.

During our first hike in Kalamoir regional part during the middle of April 2006, we discovered Oregon Grape blooming along the trail. Once you know what it looks like, these bright yellow balls of flowers are easy to spot throughout the valley.

Saskatoon Berry Blossoms

Saskatoon Berry Blossoms: This prairie gal was very excited to discover Saskatoon Berry bushes in her new home! These willowy trees with their gentle white blossoms can be found along many of the trails in Westbank and the surrounding area. Look for the berries later in the summer.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot

Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Without a doubt, the Arrowleaf Balsamroot flowers are my favorite! You know spring has arrived when these sunflowery faces dot the hillsides.

A prairie visitor to our home was convinced that these native wildflowers had been hand-planted. Fortunately, they are very abundant in our dry interior.

We discovered these beauties on our first hike in Kalamoir Regional Park in April, 2006. I have never seen so many, the fields along the trails were almost completely covered in bright yellow blooms.

Did you know... the Arrowleaf Balsamroot is the official flower of Kelowna?

Small Flowered Woodland Star

Small Flowered Woodland Star: I took this picture at the beginning of April along the trails on Boucherie Mountain. This tiny plant with pale pink-white flowers is only a couple inches high. This perennial can be found along the grasslands, sagebrush, and ponderosa pine areas in the Okanagan.

Showy Jacob's Ladder

Showy Jacob's Ladder: I took this picture mid-April along the trails in Kalamoir Park. This tiny plant is only a couple inches high with almost fern-like, fluffy leaves (I told you I am not an expert!) and just a couple bright purple-pink blooms. This plant is also known as "skunkweed" - from the skunk-like odor that comes off of bruised leaves.

Fern-Leaved Desert-Parsley

Fern-Leaved Desert-Parsley: You can't miss these fern-like feathery plants with dark burgandy-purple flowers growing on our lower rocky slopes. I captured this beauty in Kalamoir Regional Park. Keep in mind, this beauty only blooms in the spring.

Small-Flowered Blue-Eyed Mary

Small-Flowered Blue-Eyed Mary: (I am taking a guess on this name based on the description from one my wildflower books - if I am incorrect, please let me know.)

One of my kids spotted this teeny flower blooming close to the ground while we were hiking in Eain Lamont Regional Park (I would have missed it). The flowers are pale white with dark blue tips. They grow in the Okanagan in ponderosa pine forests and bunchgrass grasslands.

Squaw Currant

Squaw Currant: These white to pale pink flowers bloom in April on the Squaw Currant bush. We found these in Eain Lamont Regional Park. The berries are bitter and not too tasty.

Kinnikinick

Kinnikinnick: I have a new favorite word! Kinnikinnick. We found this plant, a trailing shrub, on Mount Boucherie amongst the Ponderosa Pine just before it's flowers opened up. It is low to the ground with bright green fleshy leaves and pink-white flowers. These flowers will become bright red berries which last into the winter.

Tufted Phlox

Tufted Phlox: Our camera caught this little plant with bright pink-purple star-shaped flowers blooming on Mount Boucherie. The plant is low to the ground with fleshy fingery leaves (I am sure there is a more appropriate way to describe this, but I don't know what it is).

May

Desert Paintbrush?

Desert Paintbrush? I am not sure I have this named correctly. It is definately from the "Figwort Family" and is a type of "Paintbrush." The plant is only about 20 cm tall and the flowers are an intense orange-red. They were blooming along the hills in Shannon Lake Regional Park.

Lemonweed

Lemonweed: This perennial was growing along the hills at Gellatly Heritage Park. The yellow "balls" of flowers reminded me of a miniature bridal bouquet.

Holbell's Rockcress?

span class="bold"> Holbell's Rockcress? Our camera caught this tall plant in Shannon Lake Regional Park along the trail.

Night-Flowering Catchfly

Night-Flowering Catchfly: This bright white flower was blooming along Gellatly Road early in the morning. The flowers close during the heat of the day.

Purple Unknown

Purple Unknown: I was enjoying the view across Okanagan Lake from a bench in Gellatly Heritage Park when I happened to look down. There, growing low to the ground, amongst the rocks, were bunches of lilac colored trumpet shaped flowers. Again, I do not know what they are called, but they were some of the prettiest I have seen in the valley.

Creeping Charle

Creeping Charlie: This non-native wildflower with small orchid-like purple flowers was growing along the edges of the grass in Shannon Lake Regional Park. Some consider it an invasive lawn weed.

Unknown purple flower

Unknown Purple Flowers: Our camera caught this interesting critter blooming along the trail in Shannon Lake Regional Park. It is a tiny flower - only about 2 or 3 millimeters wide. The plant is about 20 - 30 cm tall. If you happen to know the name of this wildflower, let us know.

Unknown blue flower

Unknown Blue Pink Flowers: This bright blue plant was blooming along the hillside in Shannon Lake Regional Park. I am not sure if this is a wildflower, or if some seeds from domestic flowers have found there way into the park. If you happen to know the name of this flower, please let us know.

Unknown tiny star-shaped blue flower

Unknown Tiny Star-Shaped Blue Flowers: Our camera caught this little plant with bright blue star-shaped flowers blooming in Shannon Lake Regional Park. The plant is low to the ground with a thin stem and few leaves - it is very easy to miss! If you happen to know the name of this wildflower, please let us know.

Unknown blue flower

Unknown Blue Flower: This blue-purple flower (about 1 inch diameter) was blooming low to the ground in a shady area near Power's Creek in Rotary Trails Park off Gellatly Road. If you happen to know the name of this wildflower, please let us know.

Note: Be careful when going near creeks during spring run-off. Power's Creek in Rotary Trail Park was high enough that several parts of the trail were actually under water!

Leafy Spurge

Leafy Spurge: We explored the Rotary Trail Park just off along Gellatly Road and discovered this intense green wildflower blooming along the trail. Then we discovered that this is a non-native plant, introduced from Europe, very invasive, and poisonous.

Note: Be careful when going near creeks during spring run-off. Power's Creek in Rotary Trail Park was high enough that several parts of the trail were actually under water!

Pink and White Bitterroot

Bitterroot: This fragile pink beauty has become one of my favorite Okanagan wildflowers. The bitterroot grows in the most delicate of dry eco-systems. And it shares this eco-system with sage and the prickly pear cactus (I think the cactus protects the bitterroot). We were very thrilled to also discover white bitterroot blooming amongst the more common pink variety. You won't find any leaves on this flower - they are drying up by the time the flowers are blooming. Also, don't wait until too late in the day to search these beauties out - the petals close up in the evening.

Side note: Please treat this delicate area with care. These bitterroot are growing in Shannon Lake near the new development at the end of Shannon Lake Road. You have to look carefully. At first, you think you are on a barren hot hillside - then when you look closer you spy the small spots of pink close to the ground. It is our hope that this beautiful hillside will be preserved to protect the delicate plantlife which thrives here.

One more side note: Wear thick soled shoes (we wear hiking boots) - that prickly pear I mentioned is hard on the feet (not to mention other body parts which get too close to the ground while taking close up pictures). Also, if you happen to bring your dog, you may want to leave him on the main path - otherwise bring along a pair of pliers to remove the cactus needles from his paws.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus: Speaking of the prickly pear cactus - here it is. These ones were not blooming yet, but we could see the buds forming on the top (we'll keep an eye on them so we don't miss the blooms). They grow in dry open spaces near the ground. The cactus "stems" break off easily and will catch a ride on your shoes if you accidently step on them.

Old Man's Whiskers/Prairie Smoke

Old Man's Whiskers/Prairie Smoke : This flower was blooming along the trail in Shannon Lake Regional Park during the third week of May. After the blooms were spent, the fruit looked like feathery strings blowing in the wind. - Cindy

Wild Blue Flax

Wild Blue Flax: You can't miss this bright blue flowers growing along the upper trail near the tennis courts in Shannon Lake. I've also spotted them growing along many roadsides on the Westside.

Thank-you to the reader who sent in the name!

Unknown Blue Flower

Unknown Blue Flower: This small flower is only about 2 cm across and about 20 cm tall (the plant that is). It was growing in the shade along a trail in Shannon Lake.

I am taking a guess here - the Thread Leaved Phacelia.

Unknown Purple Flower

Unknown Purple Flower: This picture is a little disceptive. The blooms are actually very small - only a few mm wide. These pale lilac clusters caught my eye while we were hiking near Gellatly Heritage Park.

Scarlet Gilia

Scarlet Gilia: What a treat! These bright red star shaped flowers were growing along the ponderosa pine on the sunny hills near Gellatly Heritage Park.

Wild Strawberries

Wild Strawberries: This one I actually knew the name of without looking in my wildflower book! And yes, the strawberries are edible. Did you know that the wild strawberry is the original parent of nine out of ten garden variety strawberries that we grow at home?

Cut-Leaved Daisy?

Cut-Leaved Daisy? This tiny daisy was blooming amongst the prickly pear cactus and the bitterroot on a sunny dry hillside in Shannon Lake. The flowers are only about 2 cm across and about 20 cm tall.

Meadow Death-Camas?

Meadow Death-Camas? I am going by the picture in my wildflower book so I am not sure if this is right. If it is correct, this beautiful flower packs a mean stinky punch! They are highly poisonous.

Graceful Cinquefoil?

Graceful Cinquefoil? We spotted this five-petal flower blooming close to the ground in Glen Canyon Regional Park. The leaves are divided into five and have very jagged edges. The name "cinquefoil" means five leaves.

Butter and Eggs?

Butter and Eggs? I am not sure we have this named correctly. If we are right, this yellow flower is also known as "Common Toadflax." Butter and Eggs is a European native and can become invasive in the right conditions.

Heart-Shaped Arnica

Heart-Shaped Arnica: We were strolling along a pathway in Shannon Lake and came across these sunny flowers blooming close to the ground. The heart-shaped green leaf helped us identify this as the Heart-Shaped Arnica - a member of the sunflower family.

Brown-Eyed Susan

Brown-Eyed Susan: We spied this bright yellow perennial on May 21st blooming on a dry hilltop near Gellatly Heritage Park.