Sometimes, summer sneaks up on you. And sometimes it gets away from you. Yesterday, in the Skagit Valley, near Hope, BC, we found Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) already in flower. It seems way too early for these late summer flowers to be in bloom. But a quick check of the photo gallery for this species in E-Flora BC showed that while most photos of flowering goldenrod plants are taken in August, there is a photo record of a plant in bloom on July 26th (photo # 5716, by Adolf Ceska). So are the plants we found flowering a little early, or is it more that we don't often pay attention to first bloom times for many species?
This is where citizen science projects like PlantWatch will be very beneficial if they catch on. We checked the PlantWatch BC records for Canada goldenrod flowering times, but there are no reports for this species.
It surprising how little documentation there is for flowering times of species. There are many general statements in field guides, but specific information on flowering periods, information that includes key factors such as elevation and latitude/longitude seems lacking. Yet it is imortant knowledge that will help us assess the affects of climate change and associated shifts in flower periods. Something to ponder. One thing is evident, though, the photo gallery on E-Flora BC is more than just photos of a lot of pretty flowers. Because photographers usually take photos of plants in bloom, the gallery also functions as an inadvertent citizen science project, documenting flowering times for many species. Through the inclusion of the 'photo date' field, the gallery allows for a quick assessment of earliest and latest flowering dates (providing photographers fill this in). There is a field for elevation, too, and if this information were included with the photos submitted, it would provide more detailed assessment of plant flowering times.
Whatever is going on with flowering times, this pollinator is taking advantage of the goldenrod flowers. 
2 comments:
Our spikelike goldenrod is blooming now ... maybe 1 week early for the earliest blooms ... a lot more to come.
I have that sample of the honeysuckle ... I forgot it on our last trip to the coast and will get the pictures posted one of these days! My computer time has been limited!
It's interesting, although we have been looking, we haven't spotted any other goldenrod plants flowering yet.
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