Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Nose Hill Natural Area

This bright, pretty wildflower, Scarlet Mallow or Scarlet Globe-mallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea), was growing at Nose Hill Natural Area. I very rarely see these plants, so it's a treat when we go for a walk somewhere where they do occur. They grow June to July, on grasslands, badlands, dry hillsides, roadsides and gravelly disturbed areas. The name "coccinea" means "scarlet". Don't ask me why they used this, as these flowers are simply bright orange, LOL!

I love seeing Nodding or Musk Thistles! Each year, I do the same thing - fail to get a good photo of them, LOL! The flower part is always "blown out", for a start! Hopefully, I will get a second chance at these huge Thistles, otherwise I will have to wait till next year.

We think this is an Aspen Bolete mushroom, seen amongst trees on a walk at Nose Hill on Tuesday. I realize that my mushroom photos tend to be "pretty pictures" and are not ideal to lead to an actual ID, LOL.

The Nodding or Musk Thistle is my favourite species of Thistle. A member of the Aster family, this plant grows in overgrazed pastures and waste areas. It was introduced from Europe and North Africa. I love the pattern made by the inner and outer bracts. This particular plant was seen on a walk at Nose Hill on Wednesday.

A small butterfly seen on a walk at Nose Hill Natural Area.

This plant, seen in the Nose Hill Natural Area, was introduced from Europe. The genus name Cynoglossum comes from the Greek words "kuon" and "glossa", meaning "dog's tongue". Leaves (7 to 30 cm long) produced in first year resemble the shape of a dog's tongue. It is easily spread by seed attachment to clothing and animals. It contains toxic alkaloids that can cause liver damage in grazing animals.

I rarely get to see these very small wildflowers, but always gasp when I do see their brilliant colour. These ones were growing at Nose Hill Natural Area.

This is Blue Gramma (or Blue Grama) grass, sometimes called Gramma's eyebrows, for obvious reasons. It is native and uncommon in Calgary.

One of the species of Cinquefoil wildflowers, seen at the Nose Hill Natural Area on 7th July. It is a vey small member of the Rose family.