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Plants of Alone · № 29

Chilko Lake Plant Field Guide

Plants of the Chilko Lake filming environment — interior BC trees, edibles, toxics and traditional-use species.

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Chilko Lake Plant Field Guide cover№ 29
Region
Chilko Lake, BC (S8)
Country
Canada
Continent
North America
Season
Alone Season 8
File size
978 KB(1.0 MB)
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About this region

Dry interior BC — cold snowy winters, warm dry summers on the lee side of the Coast Mountains.

Chilko Lake lies in the dry Chilcotin plateau of interior British Columbia. Lodgepole pine and interior Douglas-fir dominate mid-elevation forests, with subalpine fir on higher benches and dry sagebrush–bunchgrass slopes at low elevations.

Wild foods and materials skew toward hardy dry-country species: soopolallie, bearberry, saskatoon, and juniper. Fire has shaped much of the current forest structure, opening berry-productive edges.

Habitats

  • Lodgepole pine forest

    Even-aged post-fire pine stands with feathermoss and kinnikinnick understory.

  • Interior Douglas-fir slopes

    Older mixed-conifer forest on warm, drier aspects; supports saskatoon and false Solomon's seal.

  • Dry sagebrush–bunchgrass

    Low-elevation benches with sage, big bluebunch wheatgrass, and prickly-pear cactus.

  • Riparian willow flats

    Beaver-worked stream corridors with willow, red-osier dogwood, and mint.

Notable species

  • Lodgepole pinePinus contorta

    Tree

  • Soopolallie (soapberry)Shepherdia canadensis

    Traditional whipped 'Indian ice cream'.

    Edible

  • Kinnikinnick / bearberryArctostaphylos uva-ursi

    Leaves smoked or used as urinary-tract tea.

    Medicinal

  • SaskatoonAmelanchier alnifolia

    Edible

  • Rocky Mountain juniperJuniperus scopulorum

    Material

  • Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata

    Medicinal

  • Death camasZigadenus venenosus

    Easily confused with edible blue camas.

    Toxic

Topics

  • chilko lake
  • british columbia
  • interior
  • lodgepole pine
  • soopolallie
  • bearberry

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