Washington State: Peaks and Plants (in pictures)

Rainy Lake, North Cascades

Penstemon rupicola grows along clinging grasses on Tiger Mountain, outside of Seattle.

Pen. rupicola closeup.

Same character, living up to its name. (rupicola: rock dweller)

A "cascade" style bonsai is totally put to shame by Nature.

Probably Lewisia columbiana;

just enjoy its radial rosettes of sweet joy popping out of soil-filled rock cracks.

and, I should like to think this is Pen. davidsonii, which was the plant that got me started on this year-long-adventure-gone-mad. (I started out this spring going to UBC's garden to see a specimen I'd seen pictured.) A nice full-circle.

Larix lyallii, according to distribution maps.

The Cascades as seen from a hike to Blue Lake.

Lake 22, a fair drive outside of Seattle.

Phyllodoce sp. with an errant bloom in autumn.

Campfire sparks