poison-ivy-flowers

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron sp.) is thriving. Read more: Butterfly forest.

castilleja-purpurea-5

Downy indian paintbrushes (Castilleja purpurea). Read more: Red eyes and orange crowns.

asclepias-milkweed

A green-flowered, sprawling milkweed species (Asclepias sp.).

delphinium-sp

This extravagant Delphinium species caught my eye.

opuntia-prickly-pear

Think cacti don't have leaves? Wrong! The emerging pad on this prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) has small leaves, but they will drop away as the pad matures.

escobaria-missouriensis

The Escobaria missouriensis cacti that Brian and I found are confirmed as the first record in the preserve. Read more: Red eyes and orange crowns.

toxicodendron-poison-ivy

Even poison ivy (Toxicodendron sp.) has flowers in the spring. This menacing plant grows thickly along the paths in the preserve -- stick to marked trails indeed!

castilleja-purpurea-4

There was even an ivory-colored paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea).

castilleja-purpurea-3

Downy indian paintbrushes (Castilleja purpurea).

castilleja-purpurea-2

Downy indian paintbrushes (Castilleja purpurea).