« Previous Day: Erica glauca var. elegans |
Main
| Next Day: Erythrina lysistemon »
Nov 20, 2009: Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala
Nov 20, 2008:
Agave 'Shark Skin'
Nov 20, 2007:
Gomphocarpus physocarpus
Nov 20, 2006:
Thuja plicata
Nov 20, 2005:
Acaena magellanica subsp. laevigata
December 5, 2008 : Picea engelmannii subsp. engelmannii
Interested in subscribing? Visit the main Botany Photo of the Day page and fill out the form in the upper right corner!
Plant Family / Families: Pinaceae
Scientific Name and Author: Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm. subsp. engelmannii
Map Location: via Google Maps
Name Location: Mistaya Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
BPotD has previously featured Engelmann spruce; that entry already has a few great links, so trek on over there for further reading.
This photograph was taken in Mistaya Canyon (Banff National Park). I was intrigued by both the colour of the canyon backdrop and the tenacity of the tree. It's worth pointing out (as I have in entries in previous years) that this is likely the area where I felt the least safe while taking photographs in 2008 -- I trekked out onto the rock cliffs forming the canyon (or overhanging the canyon), much like the ones you can see in this image. I suppose it's a bit of a fear of heights, heightened somewhat by the loss of the sense of hearing due to the noise of the water coursing below.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at December 5, 2008 11:53 AM
Read recent comments on all BPotD Entries
Comments
Posted by: bev at December 5, 2008 12:51 PM
Ooh, I like those striations in the rock behind it. And, is that an image of the Eiffel Tower in the center? I wonder what that symbolizes???
Thanks for braving Mother Nature and the elements to bring us this picture!
Posted by: Deb at December 5, 2008 12:52 PM
Incredible picture, beautiful lines. Almost abstract, like Chinese art.
Posted by: Deborah Gibson at December 5, 2008 1:08 PM
Nice pic, but sorry, it looks like a larch to me (it would be Larix lyallii in Banff National Park), not a spruce.
Posted by: Michael F at December 5, 2008 2:13 PM
I love the tree, and I really love the rocks and moss. It's a photo that inspires stories!
Posted by: Bonnie at December 5, 2008 3:54 PM
Good photo as it makes me feel weak in the knees (I do not enjoy heights!).
Thanks for your pursuit of this composition.
Posted by: Knox at December 5, 2008 5:31 PM
Shimmering beauty ... gorgeous!!
Posted by: Cyndy Henderson at December 5, 2008 7:33 PM
I agree with Micheal F. The lack of trunk taper leads me to suspect that it isn't a spruce. I would suspect larch also. The needles appear to be of almost incongruous length suggesting it isn't a spruce which tend to have very uniform, congruent length of their leaves. Having said that, I'm not familiar with Banff National Park and know nothing about how the climate of the rockies affects growth patterns. I'm just a tree geek. =) Great picture! I love the stain in the rock face. Thanks!
Posted by: Jordan at December 5, 2008 7:49 PM
Gorgeous! But I don't understand the "threatened" feeling in areas like that. Then again, I've been hung over gorges by the belt to gain the best shot of some things, and I routinely do work in scaffolding. Maybe it's just a fear of heights thing.
Posted by: Lorax at December 6, 2008 7:24 AM
Lorax, I suppose I'm a scaredy-cat.
Re: Larix -- I'll have a closer look at the hi-res photograph when I next have the opportunity.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at December 6, 2008 10:39 AM
Amazing photo! At first glance, I thought I was looking at the weathered inner surface of a split log; it took me a minute to realize what it was.
Posted by: Judith Solberg at December 6, 2008 6:47 PM
your picture has almost a 3d look
you are getting better and better
hang in there as the saying goes
thank you daniel
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at December 7, 2008 5:37 PM
Any chance of getting the hi-res version somewhere, for desktop wallpaper purposes?
Posted by: Max at December 9, 2008 5:08 AM
I've had a look at the high-res original. It definitely looks to me that the needles are borne singly along the branches as opposed to clusters, especially in the branch areas nearest the trunk. Does Larix do that?
Hi-res version -- hmm, not sure. It's not the greatest photograph at high-res, because the sharpness is poor. This canyon was breezy and a bit dark, and the plant never stayed still long enough with the long exposure to be sharp. I'll consider it when I next process one of my images.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin at December 9, 2008 10:16 AM
A gorgeous photo, and the inspiration for my next bonsai.
Thank you for all the joy you give me.
Posted by: Connie at December 10, 2008 5:29 AM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
Post a comment
XML Feeds: Atom | RSS 2.0 | RSS 1.0 | What is RSS? | RSS Tools
Botany Photo of the Day and all associated images are licensed under a Creative Commons License except when otherwise specified in the accompanying written entry.
About Botany Photo of the Day | Submit Your Photos via Flickr | Submit Your Photos via UBCBG's Discussion Forums
Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.
When I hear stories about not feeling safe and see such photos of the "wild", I like to imagine what it must have looked like to the early explorers. The incredible beauty must have been significantly offset by the dangers from accidents (and no helicopters to rescue you) and the more-plentiful predators of the day....great shot.