If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 500

 

 

 

 

 

Arrowleaf Balsamroot [Balsamorhiza sagittata]

 

Mary Kieau is credited as the photographer on this postcard produced by www.mountaininphotography.com.  Featured is the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, a sunflower-like flowering plant found across the western United States and western Canada.  Pale lavender colored Lupine is  mixed in with the bright yellow of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot and Mt. Gardner can be seen in the background.  Both the Balsamroot and the Lupine are common symbols associated with the Methow Valley in Eastern Washington where this picture was taken.

 

This card represents a milestone of sorts since it is the 500^th postcard shared on a Thursday.  When we go hiking, Bob and I enjoy taking pictures of the flowers and wildlife.  The Arrowleaf Balsamroot is a showy, large flower that sometimes is found in vast displays.  To give some perspective here is a photo taken on a high ridge in Yellowstone Park showing people walking in a field of flowers.

 

 

 Field of Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Yellowstone, 2017

 

These flowers are found in Canada in British Columbia and Alberta.  They range across the western United States from northern Arizona, the Mojave Desert of California, and east as far as the Black Hills of South Dakota.  They are found here nearer to home on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington and Oregon.  It is a perennial herb with a long, 6 to 7 foot, branching, barky taproot.  Above ground it has a stem about 7 inches to almost 2 feet tall with leaves that can reach about 1 foot in length.  The leaves have untoothed edges and are coated in fine, rough hairs.  Grazing animals will eat the leaves, flowers and the developing seed heads.  Many Native American groups used this plant as food and as medicine.  The seeds were used as food and oil.  In 1806 the Lewis & Clark expedition collected specimens and noted seeing the stems eaten raw by the American natives.  Also called the Okanagan Sunflower, it is the emblem of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

 

 

 Fireweed mixed in with Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Yellowstone, 2017

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsmanroihiza_sagittata