Photography

It’s wildflower season in the Yukon. Enjoy them, as I did...

Wildflower season in the Yukon


Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) is the Yukon’s territorial flower, and a colourful part of the landscape from late spring right through to late fall.	Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) is tough! In 1967, staff at the Canadian Museum of Nature managed to grow healthy plants from 10,000-year-old Arctic Lupine seeds.

The Prairie Crocus (Pulsatilla patens) is plentiful around Whitehorse. Even after the purple petals disappear, it’s a lovely plant.

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is also called bearberry, and it was traditionally used as both a food and a medicine. Its tiny, bell-shaped flowers are hard to spot, but worth the search.	A lichenscape – pale, branching Reindeer Lichen dominates a patch of forest floor, with other lichens and assorted plants poking through.

Showy Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium pulcherrimum) pops up as a weed in the lawn – although anything this pretty is allowed to grow in our yard.	The pale yellow flowers of Field Locoweed (Oxytropis campestris) make up for its unfortunate name.

The Prickly Rose (Rosa acicularis) is better known simply as the wild rose, although they grow enthusiastically in gardens too.

I think this is Silverweed (Potentilla anserina), but I’m open to correction. It grows low to the ground and the flowers are melting-butter yellow.

For more information, contact me at claire-eamer [at] sff.net.