Columbia Lily, Roy, WA
Twice a week I have been pulling Scotch broom in Roy, Washington. You can’t cut it, because it just grows back, and poisoning isn’t eco. So you have to pull it out, either by hand or with a lever.
For this year, we’ve done all we can do. The Scotch broom has already flowered, so now one has to contend with the seed pods. One plant can produce 10,000 seeds, which survive 60-80 years in the soil. In other words, you should pull in the spring, before it starts flowering.
And now a new batch of plants are flowering. Daisies and dandelions, and also some orange flowers, which look like hanging pumpkins. They are very attractive, and are part of the lily family. Specifically, Lilium columbianum, or the Columbia Lily, or tiger lily.
The Columbia Lily is native to the Western United States and Canada. Perhaps we can see more of them, if and when the Scotch broom ever gets cleared.