Wild Flowers of Isle Royale National Park, MI

Photos of Plants Blooming July 23 to July 27, 2009

You may ask - why Isle Royale natives on a NJ native plant web site. First of all we support native plant concept nationally. Secondly, we find native plants common to NJ and Isle Royale. Lastly, we do this for enjoyment.

Isle Royale is an island in the northwest corner of Lake Superior off of the upper peninsula of Michigan. It is a wilderness preserve of boreal forests, bogs and rocky seashore.

The day we boarded the ferry to the island we were greeted with heavy fog which was some indication of what was to come. We hiked through drenching rain and we were food for the mosquitos. However, our efforts were well rewarded. We were amazed by the lushness of the vegetation and the abundance and variety of plants in bloom. Also the sun did come out.

Click on the links below for some of our photos.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern Columbine)
Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell)
Castilleja septentrionalis (Northern Paintbrush)
Chimaphila umbellata (Pipsissewa, Prince's-pine)
Corallorhiza maculata (Spotted Coral-root)
Corydalis sempervirens (Pale Corydalis, Rock-harlequin)
Epilobium angustifolium ( Fireweed )
Halenia deflexa (Spurred Gentian)
Lilium philadelphicum (Wood Lily)
Linnaea borealis (Twinflower)
Moneses uniflora ( Wood-nymph)
Platanthera psycodes (Purple Fringed Orchid)

The understory was in bloom with thimbleweed, prickly rose, bunchberry and sprinkled with the flowers above. Also in bloom were bush honeysuckle, douglas honeysuckle, cow parsnip, canada hawkweed, blueflag iris, , canada mayflower, purple meadowrue, pearly everlasting, shinleaf, pitcher plant, sundew, a late pink lady slipper and labrador tea and more.

We didn’t see any moose or wolves, but we did see many loons, mergansers, and cormorants.

H. & M. Ling