WALLACE W HANSEN

Native Plants of the Northwest

Native Plant Nursery & Gardens

2158 Bower Ct S.E., Salem, Oregon 97301 E-Mail: Wallace W Hansen
PHONE (503)581-2638 FAX(503)581-9957

Updated July 24, 2003

Wallace Hansen Celebrates Lewis and Clark's Bicentennial

Botanical Discoveries of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata)

Lewis and Clark County, Montana, July 7, 1806 or September 2, 1805 (actually June 16, 1806)

Another of the plants documented by the expedition, Twinberry is particularly confusing. The specimen for this Northwest Native Shrub is damaged, as are the labels attached:

"A Shrub within the Rocky mountains / found in moist grounds near branches of riverlets." Dated July 7, 1806.

Original label by Lewis: "No. [25?] found on the waters of the columbia Sept: 2nd 1805. the growth of a moist situation seldom rises higher than 6 or 8 feet-puts up a number of succulent sprouts forming a thick bush."

Pursh has noted: "Rocky mountain [mark, beginning of a "J"?] June 16, 1806."

According to their journals, on July 7 Captain Lewis was along the Blackfoot River in Lewis and Clark Co., Montana and Clark was in Big Hole Valley in Beaverhead Co. On June 16 the expedition was still in Idaho along the Lolo Trail. And on September 2, 1805 they were also in Idaho, this time along the North Fork of the Salmon River about the mouth of Hull Creek or where Hull joins Hammerean Creek in Lemhi County. The plant could have been found by either Lewis or Clark as it grew abundantly in each of those areas. Unfortunately, neither one mentions it in their journals. Herbarium authorities believe the September date is more likely for the specimen as it is in proper development state for that time.

We'll celebrate this lovely shrub now and remember the intrigue surrounding collection dates as evidence of time blurring the boundaries of history.

Twinberry has delightful yellow bell-shaped flowers which are followed by almost black fruits. It's such a sweet plant in form and behavior we are quite thankful the explorers identified it, even though they kept the facts about it's discovery a secret.

We offer Twinberry in various size pots year-round in our Oregon native plant nursery. See our online catalog for complete sizes and availability.

Twinberry

(Lonicera involucrata)

Click on picture for large view

At this time in 1806:

We killed a buffalo cow as we passed through the plains and took the hump and tongue, which furnish ample rations for four men one day. At 5 P.M., we arrived at Rose (Tansy) River, where I purposed remaining all night, as I could not reach Maria's River this evening, and unless I did there would be but little probability of our finding any wood, and very probably no water either. On our arrival at the river we saw where a wounded and bleeding buffalo had just passed and concluded it was probable that the Indians had been running them and were near at hand. The Minnetarees of Fort de Prairie and the Blackfoot Indians rove through this quarter of the country, and as they are a vicious, lawless, and rather abandoned set of wretches, I wish to avoid an interview with them if possible.

Captain Lewis, 17 July 1806

We wonder if any of the expedition thanked the buffalo for providing food as the native peoples always do.
 

Current events:

The Department of Interior has released their Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Funding Sourcebook. This document has been compiled to assist States, Tribes, and communities in locating potential, existing sources of Federal, State, and philanthropic support for Bicentennial projects. See this website for more information: http://www.lewisandclark200.org/news/currentnews.html

Location: 1726 Washington Street, Oregon City, OR 97045

(503) 657-9336 (503) 557-8590

End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Website staff@endoftheoregontrail.org

Description: The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center was built in 1995 on the former Donation Land Claim of the first elected governor of the Oregon Country, George Abernethy. A merchant and miller by trade, Abernethy had a vested interest in the continued growth of Oregon City, so he permitted newly arrived emigrants to park their wagons, graze their oxen, and set up camp on a meadow behind his house. That meadow came to be called Abernethy Green, and for many of the early Oregon Trail emigrants, it truly was the Trail's end. 

Alternative approaches are via State Routes 213, 99-E, and 43. The Interpretive Center is just off the end of SR 213 -- turn left at the last light before the Interstate. Taking 99-E or 43 gives you the option of cutting over to Washington Street on the surface streets if you're familiar with Oregon City, but it's easier to take northbound I-205 to Exit 10 from both roads. 

Here's a handy tip for those arriving on 99-E: the entrance ramp from 99-E is a continuous lane that becomes the exit ramp for SR 213, so you are spared from having to merge with the through traffic on the Interstate.

Back Issues:

To see back issues of Wallace Hansen Celebrates Lewis and Clark, click on this link to jump to the index. 

Commemorative Painting by Heidi Hansen:

The illustrated map below was created by renowned botanical artist Heidi D. Hansen especially for this website. Done in ink and watercolors, Heidi shows many of the plants Captain Lewis documented overlaid atop a map showing a portion of the journey. (Click on image for large view). All the plants pictured are available from Wally Hansen! See our Spring Sale site and our online catalog for more information.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Wally

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