Plant of the Week: Alder (Alnus viridis)

Explore the land around the Root Glacier, and you will notice that alder is one of the few tree species that grows near the glacier. Its serrate leaves are a shiny green and similar in appearance to those of birch, another member of the Betulaceae family. It forms separate male and female flower clusters (catkins) in May through June. Its fruits appear cone-like when mature. Alder is capable of fixing nitrogen, which allows it to grow in nutrient-poor soils, such as those recently exposed by retreating glaciers. It is thus one of the first early-successional species to move in after glacial retreat, and its contribution to the soil makes it possible for other species to colonize the area. Alder buds, twigs, and nutlets are important food sources for many bird species. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

Plant of the Week: Yarrow (Achillea borealis)

We are daily pulling this weedy wildflower from our vegetable gardens. Perhaps we tend to overlook its beauty and practical value. It blooms in meadows and along roadsides throughout Alaska in July through August. This perennial has elegant feathery leaves and tiny white flowers that develop in a corymb similar in appearance to wild carrot. The leaves and flowers are traditionally prepared to treat colds and fevers, and all aboveground plant parts can be harvested to produce a yellow dye. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

Medicinal Plant Workshop with Amy Seifert

Here are some photos from our workshop in early July. Thanks to all the participants who joined, and to Amy for teaching a great class! Everyone learned a lot about the plants that surround us here in McCarthy. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

How Does Your Garden Grow?--Peas

Our peas are producing! The elegant vines are thriving in our gardens this year. The delicate flowers are just beginning to produce the first crisp peas of the season. Peas are an incredibly versatile vegetable—try them raw in salads, lightly steamed, or sautéed with garlic. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

Plant of the Week: Monkshood (Aconitum delphinifolium)

These incredibly elegant flowers are in bloom beside the trails to the mines and along the Wagon Road between McCarthy and Kennicott. A member of the buttercup family, monkshood flourishes in meadows up through the mid-alpine zone. The hooded flowers noted by the common name are easily recognizable on tall stalks with thinly lobed leaves. They bloom July through August. The entire plant is poisonous, capable of paralyzing the nervous system. The alternative common name, wolfsbane, references their former use in bait for killing wolves. Avoid contact with the plant and observe its sinister beauty from a distance. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

How Does Your Garden Grow?--Bok Choy

We harvested our bok choy this week. The beautiful leaves are still young and tender, but the new buds are a sure sign that it’s time to harvest. An Asian green in the same family as collards and cabbage, this nutritionally dense vegetable is excellent in stir-fries. Try pairing it with marinated tofu and seasoning it with ginger and soy sauce. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

Plant of the Week: Fireweed (Epilobium augustifolium)

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

It is the time of year when the brilliant pink flowers of fireweed adorn the wildflower beds of the Wrangell Mountains Center and the roadsides of McCarthy. The flowers are easily recognizable on their tall stalks (racemes) in early to mid-summer. The plant’s deep root system allows it to regenerate rapidly after fire, giving it its common name. Both flowers and leaves are edible and make lovely decorations for baked goods. The new spring shoots are especially tender. As always, only consume wild plants when identified with absolute confidence. 

How Does Your Garden Grow? --Radishes

Have you been by our gardens yet? We just pulled our first radishes of the season. Small red and red and white varieties offer roots for crunchy snacks and salad toppings. Did you know you can eat the greens? In the same family as collards and kale, they are excellent raw in salads or cooked in stir-fries. 

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

Plant of the Week: Yellow Dryas (Dryas drummondii)

Photography by Paul Scannell (www.facebook.com/paulscannellphotography)

The plant that adorns our logo, yellow dryas is a joy to encounter beside the creek. Several dryas species inhabit the area surrounding McCarthy, but yellow dryas, also known as Drummond mountain-avens, is most common near the Wrangell Mountains Center. The evergreen shrub is one of the first species to colonize land after glacial retreat, often growing near glacial streams and in gravel floodplains. It forms a matted groundcover in these exposed habitats. The small flowers form on tall, individual stalks in June through July, their yellow color distinguishing it from other dryas species. The seed head forms in an elegant spiral that opens to a fluffy sphere similar to a dandelion. Dryas is a member of the Rosaceae family, a group that includes familiar species such as apple, rose, and raspberry.