Native Plant Talk

By Carol T. EnglishColorado Native Plant Society-San Luis Valley Chapter Look east from the floor of the San Luis Valley and the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountain range towers above us with incredible majesty. From a distance you can see where the trees end, and the alpine tundra begins. From afar it may look barren—yet living organisms of all kinds have found a way to flourish.  It is early August and the perfect time to head up into these mountains to explore, so let’s journey up high. As we move through the forest the atmospheric pressure drops with less O2 available...

by Carol T. English When I was a young kid, I clearly remember my beloved Welsh pony eating thistle heads while I was riding him. From my vantage point I could see his soft lips stretch away from his teeth as he carefully bit down, snipped off, chewed, and swallowed the entire flowerhead. It was obvious to me this was a tasty morsel, and quite the delicacy for my pony. At ten years old this entire scene fascinated me. Thistles still fascinate me, especially the native ones.  While hiking this spring and summer in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, I sadly...