Low Prairie Rose

 

Recently, on the one month anniversary since Chris’ hip surgery when she was doing very well the only pain she had was in her store bought knee. Not in her hip! So she encouraged me to take a day off from my manservant duties and I headed  the St. Labre Road as I call it. This is my spot for one of my favorite flowers–the Low Prairie Rose (Rosa arkansana porter).

 I wanted googled “Low prairie rose” and had a psychedelic experience. I found flowers by that name of the Internet. The first one I looked at was from my friend Doris Ames. The first time I ever heard about this flower was on a slide show somewhere (I have forgotten where) and Doris showed a photo by my good friend and best man at my wedding–Eugene Reimer. When I first saw that image I  was smitten with it and was consumed by jealousy that my friend had photographed it and I had never seen it. It actually took me a few years to find it.

In fact today, the second image  on my Internet search was by Eugene from the Native Orchid Conservation Inc. website. The third image was from my own Meanderer blog site. This felt absolutely weird. But actually it fits in with what I have been wondering about. Is there actually such a flower as Low Prairie Rose or is it just a version of the ordinary garden variety Wild Rose? After this search I was still not sure we are right, but I did find another short article on the Qu’appelle Flora website that talked about it. That is good enough for me. I have determined to my satisfaction that there is such a flower. Case closed.

Don’t tell my orchid friends but this may be my favorite flower. I love orchids, particularly wild orchids, but the Low Prairie Rose is a stunner.

I first found it in the area I was at today because Eugene had kindly told me where it could be found. Eventually thanks to his directions I found it. By now I realize it is actually quite common. Often I have found right beside the road as I did today.

 

Even though the flower is so exquisitely beautiful it is often found beside gravel roads covered in dust. What a shame it deserves so much better. I often like to photograph it after a rain, not just because it is so clean from the rain, but because the colors shine and sparkle. Since it does not rain often enough for this purpose, I always carry some rain in a bottle in my pocket just in case I need to give the flower a spritz. Today I needed the spritzer. I think it was worth it.

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