Category: Ethnobotany

EthnobotanyLeave a comment

Camas Journal, May 10, 2022 Minto-Brown Park

David G. Lewis, PhD

Visited again Minto-Brown park to see all of the camas fields. That field near the city has at this time a very thin population of camas, it seems too early for this field and they are just beginning to rise. Notice the leaves above showing signs of having been mowed. The whole management plan here is to mow these field previous to the arrival of camas, it may be that this field is slower to develop because the mowing is retarding the plant growth. The camas here are along the north and west faces of the field. I then walked … Continue reading Camas Journal, May 10, 2022 Minto-Brown Park

Ethnobotany, General HistoryLeave a comment

Camas Journal, May 8, 2022

David G. Lewis, PhD

I returned today to Bush Park to take in the middle prairie and see how things are going. The weather has scattered spring rains all day. This year the weather is odd, because for more than a decade its been dry in the spring and, while at the same time its normal because it used to be like this every spring. The land is certainly drenched and the camas is loving it. I took the creek trail and followed the creek up to the ball fields and then crossed to the stadium and followed the camas along the trail there. … Continue reading Camas Journal, May 8, 2022

Ethnobotany, General History1 Comment

Joryville Park May 5, 2022

David G. Lewis, PhD

I recently heard about another park I had not been to in Salem, Joryville Park. I went assuming it would be mostly grassland but was surprised that this Marion County park was full of native plants. This may be the last native landscape remaining of the Salem hills. The park is full of old growth firs and many native species. The park extended up to the near top of a hill, and at the bottom is a wetland, which is full this time of year. The best surprise was the very large hazel bushes I found. I have seen large … Continue reading Joryville Park May 5, 2022

Ethnobotany, Native Issues, Willamette ValleyLeave a comment

Camas Journal May 2, 2022

David G. Lewis, PhD

I revisited Bush Park today to tour the other areas of camas. I began at the “Picnic” area, south side of the park at its upper level and worked my way own to the flower garden area. For years Willamette Students and teachers have been restoring and tending to this area that used to be full of blackberry brambles. Now its mostly oak trees, camas and low bushes, snowberries, that overlay much of the area. The camas is thick under and on all sides of the snowberries. I wish there had been some variety in the berry plants they planted … Continue reading Camas Journal May 2, 2022

Ethnobotany, Native Issues1 Comment

Camas Journal, May 1, 2022

David G. Lewis, PhD

Today, I visited three camas areas in Salem. They present different characters and interesting contexts this spring. As I left the fields I noticed splotches of yellow on my black shorts, and realizing I had brushed up against some of the camas stamens. There are ripe and ready to propagate Two areas are at the State Fairgrounds, the first at Sunnyview, and the second on 17th. This area has been a fairgrounds since the 1860s so there has never been any development on certain parcels. The Sunnyview field is overflow parking for the fairgrounds and it has been partially plowed … Continue reading Camas Journal, May 1, 2022