There are many trees that do well along the rivers of the Columbia Basin.

Nature is beautiful.

Many species become threatened and then rare because of the loss of appropriate habitat.

I have the pleasure of helping with native plant seed collection for Wildlands Inc. of Richland.

I have noticed a large plant with many small white flowers along the freeways in the last week. It is baby's breath, and it is a noxious weed. It also is used in the cut flower industry in bouquets. I've seen it in my local supermarket. One person's weed can be another's source of income!

Now is the perfect time to take a hike into the shrub steppe. The weather is nice and so are the plants.

Driving along the Yakima River the other day, I noticed that golden currant shrubs in flower.

The buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) includes many ornamental garden plants, a number of very beautiful native plants in the Columbia Basin, noxious weeds and poisonous plants. Many buttercups are aquatic and wetland plants. Ranunculus is derived from the Latin, "Rana," or frog. They mostly are annual or perennial herbaceous plants. Some members of the Clematis genus are woody vines. The family is considered to be botanically primitive.

Given that the weather has been so bad for so long, I would like to think positive thoughts. Thoughts that bring to attention the pleasures of the upcoming growing season should help.

Restoration ecology is the science and art of putting nature back together again after a disturbance.

While we all prefer flowers, there are non-flowering plants that are interesting and valuable. Non-flowering plants are more primitive than the flowering plants. Non-flowering plants in and near the Columbia Basin include junipers, Ponderosa pine and horsetails.

Sumacs are becoming obvious this time of year with their bright red leaves.

In my readings on plants, I came across the finding that the seeds of all mustard species can be dried or used fresh as a substitute for black pepper.

As the summer gets hotter and drier, many plants go to sleep. Thus, we have a rather continuous display of various shades of brown across the shrub-steppe.

For the last three weeks I have been collecting data in a large field dominated by weedy plants. On the hotter days, I wore shorts and was careful to put on sunscreen. While I was not sunburned, my skin was irritated after many encounters with fiddleneck or tarweed plants. By the end of the workday, I felt like I had been severely sunburned.

The sunflower family (Compositae) is one of the largest plant families.

During the past week, I had the pleasure of spending my time identifying all the plants in 114 study plots at the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife's Columbia National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Othello.

With springtime approaching, it is time to consider the beauty of our native lilies. Commercial lilies have earned our admiration. These include hosta, aloe, crocus, tulip, lily, hyacinth, amaryllis, daffodils and yucca, which are available for planting in your yard or house.

The figwort or snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae) includes many ornamental garden plants, a number of very beautiful native plants in the Columbia Basin, noxious weeds, edible and medicinal plants.

With the holiday season approaching, I have started thinking about the mistletoe plant. We all look forward to finding mistletoe hanging around!

Cheatgrass cover and the risk of fire in the Columbia Basin and throughout the West has become a serious problem.

Wildfires have become a common phenomenon in the West, threatening human life and property every summer.