It would be impossible in the space of a brief chapter to present even a list of all the flowers found and recorded in the Tahoe Region. Suffice it to say that 1300 different species already have been listed. This chapter will merely call attention to the most prominent, or, on the other hand, the rarer and special flowering plants that the visitor should eagerly search for.
As fast as the snow retires from the sun-kissed slopes the flowers begin to come out. Indeed in April, were one at Tahoe, he could make a daily pilgrimage to the receding snow-line and there enjoy new revelations of dainty beauty each morning. For the flowers, as the snow-coating becomes thinner, respond to the "call of the sun", and thrust up their spears out of the softened and moistened earth, so that when the last touch of snow is gone they are often already in bud ready to burst forth into flower at the first kiss of sunshine.
In May they come trooping along in all their pristine glory, God's thoughts cast upon the mold of earth, so that even the men and women of downcast eyes and souls may know the ever-fresh, ever-present love of God.
Most interesting of all is the snow-plant (sarcodes san-guinea Torrey). The name is unfortunate. The plant doesn't look like snow, nor does it grow on or in the snow. It simply follows the snow line, as so many of the Sierran plants do, and as the snow melts and leaves the valley, one must climb to find it. It is of a rich red color, which glows in the sunlight like a living thing. It has no leaves but is supplied with over-lapping scale-like bracts of a warm flesh-tint. At the lower part of the flower these are rigid and closely adherent to the stem, but higher up they become looser and curl gracefully about among the vivid red bells. In the spring of 1914 they were wonderfully plentiful at the Tavern and all around the Lake. I literally saw hundreds of them.
| Mountain Heather, in Desolation Valley,
near Lake Tahoe Click photo to see full-sized. |
Next in interest comes the heather, both red and white. In Desolation Valley, as well as around most of the Sierran lakes of the Tahoe Region, beds of heather are found that have won enthusiastic Scotchmen to declare that Tahoe heather beats that of Scotland. The red heather is the more abundant, and its rich deep green leaves and crown of glowing red makes it to be desired, but the white heather is a flower fit for the delicate corsage bouquet of a queen, or the lapel of the noblest of men. Dainty and exquisite, perfect in shape and color its tiny white bell is par-excellence the emblem of passionate purity.
Blue gentians (Gentina calycosa, Griseb) abound, their deep blue blossoms rivaling the pure blue of our Sierran skies. These often come late in the season and cheer the hearts of those who come upon them with "a glad sweet surprise". There are also white gentians found aplenty.
The water lilies of the Tahoe Region are strikingly beautiful. In many of the Sierran lakes conditions seem to exist which make them flourish and they are found in plentiful quantities.
Wild marigolds abound in large patches, even on the mountain heights, where there is plenty of moisture and sunshine, and a species of marguerite, or mountain daisy, is not uncommon. The Indian paint-brush is found everywhere and is in full bloom in deepest red in September. Wild sunflowers also abound except where the sheep have been. Then not a sign of once vast patches can be found. They are eaten clear to the ground.
The mullein attains especial dignity in this mountain region. Stately and proud it rises above the lesser though more beautiful flowers of the wild. It generally dies down in September, though an occasional flowering stalk may be seen as late as October.