Welcome to the Natural Coalescence Blog

Making and testing natural inks & dyes from fruits and flowers in PNW.

Differences between WA Erysimum species- Erysimum capitatum vs arenicola.

Edible or lethal plants. Comparing and admiring common camas with death-camas, and a few native plant relatives in the PNW.

Oak apples aren't a fruit, they're a gall from a wasp and they may not be edible but you can use them for home-made ink.

Buds buds everywhere and not a bulb to eat. Spring is popping up, literally, as represented by bulbs popping up their plump flower heads...

Ever seen blue balls on a bee? Possibly not what you think, but they do get them. Bee blue-balls is more accurately bee blue-baskets (on...

The chill is in the air, the winds are kicking up, and sky has it's blanket of leaky grey all ready to tuck us in for the winter. Fall...

There are many cool trees all over the world and possibly more than our 'fair share' in the Pacific northwest due to the variety of...

Blue flowers are the RAREST color. I’ve noticed this for a long time. And it makes sense. But it is also confusing and weird and...

*(sweaty, even while standing still because… heat domes & such) It’s a berry Pacific Northwest kind of life in summer time here. The sun...

Hydrangea season approaches! Blue is coming. The special and huge draw of these shrubs for many gardeners is the unusual color of certain...

As the summer solstice passes, a very 'spring to summer' plant comes to mind- oso berry. They are pretty much the very first native plant...

Plant obsessions go through trends, just like the huge tulip obsession and flash trade market that was huge for a short time, then...

The iris is more than a lovely (ok absolutely gorgeous) flower. Of ancient Greek mythology, she is the goddess who personified the...

What's the best way to get rid of weeds? Eat them, of course! And we are hitting prime dandelion season, so it's time to get digging. ...

I would bet this plant is among those that most people, even the botanically interested, would pass right by. Rosy twisted-stalks, and...

Begonia flowers are cooler than most people realize. I painted their corkscrew pistils as an oil painting, honoring them as I eat them.

Mistletoes get an interesting and sort of bad rep. They are only really thought about during the holidays (unless by botanists) and many...

You may have heard the quick story about the oldest tree, or maybe the oldest organism. But the details and the bigger story is so much...

“libidinous- from ‘libido’, being sensual and lustful or with strong connection to libido” Larix species: You can’t really pin them down....