White Mountain Alpine Update

First of all, we've reached 100 contributors. Thank you for sharing your alpine bud, flower, and fruit photos!

In the "Alpine Garden" of Mount Washington, Diapensia (D. lapponica) is nearly finished flowering. It continues to bud and flower in other sections of the alpine zone, such as the "cow pasture" along the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

If you have not been able to visit the alpine zone yet this season, fear not. Labrador Tea, Mountain Aven, and Mountain Cranberry have not yet started blooming in the alpine zone. Two of these species, Labrador Tea and Ligonberry (another name for Mountain Cranberry), can be seen flowering below treeline.

Bigelow's Sedge (Carex bigelowii) has started to bloom. This arctic species is known in the White Mountains for its role as host plant to the endemic White Mountain Arctic butterfly. The adult butterflies lay their eggs on or near the base of the Bigelow's Sedge. The larva feed on the sedge when they hatch. The photo above was taken by @mtncranberg near Madison Springs Hut.

Happy iNaturalizing! And if you take neat photos of lower elevation species, be sure to share them to our White Mountain or Appalachian Trail projects!

Posted on June 19, 2019 07:12 PM by annie_evankow