Rhododendron...Washington State Flower

One of the really nice things about living here, is the color in the woods during the month of May. April is the month of blossoms for the fruit trees and the Fall bulbs, and the ornamental shrubs, but May is the month for the wild.

The days are warmer, and if you plan it right, you can walk through the woods on a really still day and actually smell the rosin in the trees, and hear the bees buzzing around you. Our woods are everywhere, for awhile, (progress is encroaching) and a walk through the woods is safe as a walk through the park.

Along Hiway 20, which is the main highway from the Olympic peninsula over the Bridge at Deception Pass and on through the North Cascades Wilderness Area, It is really easy to park you car on a turn out, and wander. The woods are alike with the birds, and the bees, and the flowers that Mother Nature has provided. There is the Scotch Broom which is alive on every tip with bright yellow pea flowers. They stink, and they send out tons of pollen, but they are really colorful and pretty. Along with them are the Purple lupine. Just growing wild along the road, and sending up their purple stalks of flowers to accent the Gold of the Broom.

But by far the queen of wild blooms is the wild Rhododendron. She grows really tall and sends out blooms of bright pink which set off the bright spring green of the new growth on the tips of the firs, and spruce trees. These tall Rhodies, are really spindly, but that helps them fight their way up through the dark of the Evergreen trees and find that one little bit of sun that will set off these pink flowers.



These magnificent plants are seen everywhere that there is old growth (never been cut) or 2nd growth (cut more than 60 years ago) forests. They can not compete with the fast growing Alder trees which are the first thing to take over after a plat has been logged. After the Alders have attained their full growth, the evergreens start their way up to the canopy, and shut out the light that the alders need to grow. These Alders die back, having served their purpose, and when they do, and the firs, Hemlock and Spruce have grown tall enough to allow it, the Salal and the Rhodies take off.



It is very important to save these 2nd growth forests and the flora that they support. We have domesticated the rhododendron and they are Beautiful. They come in many varieties of color and size because of it, but the true wild Rhodies are the prettiest. It is so fulfilling walking through the woods and seeing these beauties just growing wild, making my walk a special one.