BY LESLIE REGO
The climate and landscape in the Wood River Valley tends to be quite arid and so it is always a delight to find a plant that looks tropical. The lower part of the trail to Mill Lake is full of thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) in full bloom right now. Thimbleberry grows in large clumps propagating through underground horizontal stems or rhizomes. What feels tropical to me are the alternate, extremely large maple-like leaves that can grow to as much as 8 inches across. The leaves are downy on both sides, adding another layer of richness to the look of the plant.
As my husband, Alfredo, and I hike along the trail, we see many thimbleberry growing up the mountainside, adding dense foliage to the forest floor. The size of the leaves, the deep green color and the sheer abundance of the plant all contribute to giving the forest a tropical feel. But I would say it is primarily the size of the leaves that makes thimbleberry appear so lush. Peering out from the tropical green leaves are startlingly white blooms, about 1 inch across, with five petals and many pale yellow stamens. The flowers, after pollination, ripen to a bright red fruit, which is so sweet and delicious that thimbleberry is sometimes referred to as the “queen of the berries.” Unlike other berry plants, thimbleberry does not have prickles – another characteristic that adds to its royal title!
We are hiking to Mill Lake very early in the morning and the light is beautiful. The sunlight is streaming through the forest, glinting off the white flowers and turning the deep green of the leaves into an even more jungly green. The sunlight hits the leaves, but does not easily pass through to the ground. The forest floor is alive with this dappled sunlight, reminding me of the light that manages to push through the thick canopy of a jungle. The oversized leaves are still wet from the recent rains, creating a verdant world. Looking up the mountainside, through the trees, it is easy to believe I am traipsing through a tropical rainforest.
Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit www.leslierego.com.