We started the day with a ranger led hike to identify wildflowers. One of the attractions here has to be the flowers. They are very abundant. That spikey plant has a story. It's called a monument plant. It grows as a ground covering leafy plant storing energy in its roots for 20 to 80 years. It then shoots that stalk up. The stalk is covered with 200 flowers that produce 60,000 seeds. Death soon follows. No one knows what causes it to bloom. Sometimes whole hillsides bloom the same year. Well, after that, we did the rim hike. There was a forest of Bristle Cone Pine trees along the rim. Most of them were healthy, green, normal looking trees. Some looked weird enough that we took a picture. I'm sure you know that those trees are the oldest living things on earth. Tomorrow we are at a KOA in Las Vegas. We have tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere day after tomorrow.
I was going to ask about that spiky plant. Interesting about it. Looks like a great hike. Is weather still cooler. We are still in 90 and no rain
ReplyDeleteBristle Cone pines are your favorite aren't they David? Thanks for the Horticulture lesson..it was very interesting. Vegas here you come. Jenny, rein him in. Sister Paula
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