There’s a crispness in the air. It’s not quite cold enough to see your breath, but enough to know summer is definitely over. The leaves on the cottonwood trees are spun gold, and a pungent whiff of ripe, high bush cranberries fills your nostrils. It invigorates and energizes me.
Most people love summer. Perhaps I march to the beat of a different drummer, but Fall is my favorite time of the year. Maybe its because of the food and activities associated with the season. I love to pick berries, drink hot cider and make squash bisque.
Maybe it’s because the Fall colors have such dynamic contrast; the intense blue of the sky, the deep reds and purples of mountains bathed in the alpenglow of the late afternoon. I don’t know what it is exactly. There’s just ‘something’ about Fall.
Photo Tour- Alaska’s Plants and Berries in the Fall
I thought you might like to see some images of Alaska’s plants and berries in the Fall from around the studio. These are all native to Alaska and are found in the woods around my home this time of the year. If you’re interested, I’ve written two other short essays featuring our Spring and Summer wildflowers. Links to those posts are at the bottom of this page.
*Note: all photos by the author
Red Currants
I reside in the shadow of a mountain range, so red currents that thrive in the shade grow in abundance around here. When I was a kid, my family and the neighbor’s family would drive out here from town and pick buckets and buckets of currants. Then my Mom made jelly from them. Tangy, currant jelly was all us kids ever had on our peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches that were a staple in our school lunch boxes.
Highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule) that grow here on my lot, are very different than the commercial variety. They are full of juice and very sour tasting, but good for jellies, syrups and catsup. I have made the catsup a couple of times and it is wonderful with sausage and wild game.
Wild Rose Hips
Our most common rose, Prickly Rose (rosa acicularis) is also called “Arctic Rose”. It’s everywhere in my area. I left a lot of natural vegetation undisturbed when I built my home and I’m glad I did. The pale hues of the wild rose are not only beautiful and fragrant in early summer, but their hips (seed pods) are very useful for harvesting in the Fall.
Although the hips are small–3/4 inch–they’re very high in vitamin C. They can be eaten raw but are not very flavorful and are full of seeds. I don’t mean that they taste bad, just bland and rather pasty in texture. Hips reach the peak of ripeness after a light frost when they turn a deep burgundy. They make great jellies, syrups and best of all, tea! Get my simple, rose hip tea recipe HERE.
Common Fireweed
Although fireweed is not generally associated with the Fall, there is a unique connection. You see, the fireweed flower starts blooming at the bottom and works its way up to the top rung as summer progresses. By August, the upper part of the stalk is in full bloom, which means the season is about over. It’s said that the old timers knew when the season was coming to a close by watching the fireweed. When the fireweed is bloomed out, so is summer.
Because the bright pink fireweed is so spectacular in masses when viewed from a distance, its these images photographers tend to feature the most. You don’t often see pictures of them up close. Like the prickly wild rose, fireweed is one of my favorite flowers to photograph for its beauty and uniqueness. I think their petals resemble a hibiscus or orchid.
More images of Fall
There’s a little creek that splashes down the mountainside on the western edge of my property. I only recently discovered it was a salmon stream. The picture above is quite a ways downstream from me, but close enough to qualify as “around home”.
The creek is quite shallow in the Fall and it’s just spectacular to watch the fish propel themselves yards up stream with a mighty burst of energy. A rapid swish of the tail and they can maneuver at lightening speed. I’m grateful to have all these wonderful experiences with nature so close to home.
Hope you enjoyed Alaska’s plants and berries in the Fall. I’d love to hear about your favorite season, or what you like best about Fall. See “comments” below.
** Answer to Fireweed: The photo was taken in mid July.
Other wildflower posts you may enjoy
Meet Alaska’s Wildflowers in Summer
Meet Alaska’s Wildflowers in Spring
