Species Spotlight: Rare Prairie Plants on NLT Lands
This spring and summer, we have discovered some rare prairie plants on Land Trust properties.
On our Upper Ohop Creek protected lands, a site we originally conserved to protect the stream and floodplain wetlands, our Stewardship Manager Jake investigated some adjacent prairie balds and discovered they were covered in checker (chocolate) lilies, white brodiaea, shortspur seablush, and Oregon fawn lilies, among others.
These pockets of thin soil and exposed rock provide a unique habitat for these plants to thrive, preventing trees from growing that would otherwise shade them out. This makes for a striking sight – rare native prairie wildflowers surrounded by towering western redcedar, bigleaf maple, western hemlock and Douglas fir with seeps and streams full of skunk cabbage, devil’s club and corn lily.
When Jake was visiting, a variety of pollinators, including the rare western bumble bee, were busy at work on the balds. He also spotted a couple of bald eagles guarding the prairie balds, fixing up their nest for the season.
Checker or chocolate lily (Frittillaria affinis)
One of the more well-known prairie plants covering the balds is the checker or chocolate lily. It is known for its downward-facing, spotted, deep purple-red and yellow flowers. Like other lilies, it is a bulbous perennial, dying back each winter and sprouting a new stem from an underground bulb the following spring. Their edible bulbs have also been called “rice root,” as they resemble grains of rice and are an important first food for Pacific Northwest native people.
White brodiaea (Triteleia hyacinthina)
The site also contained extremely high numbers of white brodiaea, creating a white carpet across the balds. These were found only in open, exposed sunny locations. As the scientific name suggests, Triteleia hyacinthine is known for its hyacinth-like blossoms. These are typically white and grow in clusters of 10 to 40 flowers each.
Shortspur seablush (Plectritis congesta)
Shortspur seablush is excellent when grown as an ornamental for pollinators. This annual wildflower is attractive to many native bees and butterflies, including the endangered Fender’s blue and rare Taylor’s checkerspot. Similar to white brodiaea, its pink flowers bloom in crowded clusters.
Oregon fawn lily (Erythronium oregonum)
Oregon fawn lily prefers partial shade and can be found in the woods on this property, on the edges of the balds. It is recognized by its yellow-white, downward-facing flowers with curved petals and is also a bulbous perennial like the checker lily. It is pollinated by a variety of native bumble bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
We are grateful to protect and steward unique pockets of habitat that allow these rare and important pollinator plants to thrive. While they were not what originally caused us to protect these particular lands, we are committed to protecting all the important native biodiversity of the lands we steward.
Photos by Jake Pool