I have, on only one occasion seen, witnessed and observed a Western Coralroot orchid Corallorhiza maculata ssp. mertensiana in it’s native habitat. There was only one. A delicate pinkish white candy-striped stem no more than 6 inches tall. Nestled in a mossy grove under a great doug fir in the Cascade foothills. It was like finding treasure. While orchids make up one of the largest plant species (ca. 23,000) they are mostly found in tropical zones.
Here in the Northwest we only have a dozen or so which is what makes them so special. From the Mountain Ladyslipper Cypripedium montanum to the Heart Leaved Twayblade Listera cordata. These aren’t the flashy, impress your date corsage orchids, and you may just not even notice some of them unless you are looking real hard, or, like in my case, get lucky. All are deserving of up-close inspection to enjoy their delicate intricacies. Please note that many of our orchids have established complex relationships between their roots and other fungi in the forest floor. Please make sure to take care when observing.
I discovered the Po-mac about a decade ago. Po-mac being slang for the authors of Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast written by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. There are other books on the subject, but this is my all time favorite for this region. A favorite family pastime has been to grab this book, grab some snacks, and explore, on a hike, in a vacant lot, or even in the back yard. My kids have been caught reading this book all on their own. It’s got great pictures, and great facts. This book has been invaluable in encouraging our kids to go hiking. We have many precious memories of our native plant treasure hunts. If you are interested in owning a copy you can pick it up at here for around $18.00. It’s worth every penny!



September 25, 2010 at 9:30 PM
@Markus I get your drift on where you were going there. I often think of my past and use it as a means to analyze where I am and where I want to get to. Where I struggel is balancing it all out. How do you guys balance things out?
September 26, 2010 at 7:45 PM
@Markus I get your drift on where you were going there. I often think of my past and use it as a means to analyze where I am and where I want to get to. Where I struggel is balancing it all out. How do you guys balance things out?
September 27, 2010 at 12:51 PM
Hey this is a decent write up. Can I use part of it on my site ? I would of course link to your post so people could read the complete article if they wanted to. Thanks either way.
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September 27, 2010 at 3:49 PM
I will use your advice from now on. Jaap
September 27, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Hey compañero, realmente tenido gusto este poste. Can’ t parece conseguirlo para dar formato a la derecha en Internet Explorer, se dobla todo para arriba, pero no trabaja muy bien en Firefox tan ninguna preocupación.
September 27, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Merci!
October 5, 2010 at 6:10 PM
Hey compañero, realmente tenido gusto este poste. Can’ t parece conseguirlo para dar formato a la derecha en Internet Explorer, se dobla todo para arriba, pero no trabaja muy bien en Firefox tan ninguna preocupación.
October 5, 2010 at 9:57 PM
@Markus I get your drift on where you were going there. I often think of my past and use it as a means to analyze where I am and where I want to get to. Where I struggel is balancing it all out. How do you guys balance things out?
October 6, 2010 at 10:16 PM
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October 16, 2010 at 8:43 PM
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October 30, 2010 at 1:45 PM
I will use your advice from now on. Jaap
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November 2, 2010 at 6:09 PM
Grande borne! Agradecimentos para tomar o momento de escrever algo que é realmente leitura do valor. Demasiado frequentemente eu encontro a informação inútil e não a algo que é realmente relevante. Agradecimentos para seu trabalho duro.
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November 3, 2010 at 8:56 AM
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November 3, 2010 at 4:51 PM
Merci!
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November 5, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Merci!
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Hey I was just reading your page on my Pure phone and I was thinking about how well it will work on the new ipad thats coming out. Fleeting thought…. Anyway thanks!
November 5, 2010 at 8:33 PM
Grand poteau ! Merci pour prendre le temps d’écrire quelque chose qui est réellement en valeur la lecture. Trop souvent je trouve l’information inutile et pas quelque chose qui sont réellement appropriées. Merci pour votre dur labeur.
November 8, 2010 at 9:07 PM
zwrot podatku odzyskaj należny Ci podatek
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Thats some quality fundamentals there, already knew some of that, but you can always learn more. I doubt a “kid” could put together such information as dolphin278 suggested. Maybe he’s just trying to be “controversial? lol
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