I wish we had a more endearing term than “lithosols” to describe Columbia Basin habitats of thin, rocky soils! Here, the wind has deposited bits of soil in-between a pavement of lichen-encrusted basalt rocks. Each spring, a diverse display of native wildflowers create splashes of color worth exploring. Spring comes early to low elevation sites along the Columbia River, but travelers can seek out higher elevation sites to see the same species blooming many weeks later. Sagebrush violets bloom in late March on the south-facing Beezley Hills at Quincy, but you can still find them blooming in later May by going a few thousand feet higher to the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility near Vantage.
Sagebrush Violet (Viola trinervata) 
Sagebrush Violet (Viola trinervata)
Early wildflowers in the lithosol 
Yellow Bell Seed Pod
Lithosol habitats are windy and dry, so the native plants that thrive here share many adaptions suited to harsh conditions. Most are low growing ground-huggers and are long-lived perennials. They often have small leaves protected by hairs or wax that reduce drying to keep water inside the tissues. During the mild moist few months of spring, they grow above-ground leaves and flowers and quickly produce seeds. As the intense heat and drying of summer comes, the above-ground parts wither away and a visitor can see very little evidence of their presence.
The main woody shrub is rigid sagebrush (Artemesia rigidia). It is slow-growing, low in stature, and has deeply lobed hair-covered deciduous leaves. Native bunchgrasses fill in the spaces between shrubs, and colorful lichens coat the basalt rocks. During the brief spring, dozens of wildflowers poke up between the shrubs and grasses.
April’s warming temperatures cause the black basalt rocks soak up heat, and increasing soil temperatures initiate the underground plants to grow. Snowmelt provides soil moisture and green leaves are powered by sunshine to photosynthesize and fuel growth. These early flowers provide pollen and nectar to bumblebees and butterflies, and other insects feast on fresh green leaves and stems.
Example of Central Washington’s lithosol habitat 
Thyme buckwheat (Erigonum thymoides)
woody shrubs and sub-shrubs.
large-fruited biscuitroot (Lomatium macrocarpum) 
Death Camas (Toxicoscordion paniculatum)
Cushion Fleabane (Erigeron poliospermus) 
Daggerpod (Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides)
Many Aster Family and Mustard Family species are found in Washington’ lithosol habitats
Darkling Beetle 
Pygmy Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglassii)
Predatory darkling beetles and pygmy short-horned lizards emerge from winter hibernation as insect foods become plentiful.
Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) 
Bitteroot (Lewisia rediviva)
You will want to step carefully to avoid crushing plants, and lichens that coat the rocks. Fragile biological soil crusts are often on top of the soil itself. Staying on a trail is the best way to view and protect lithosols communities.
Are you wondering where you might go to see these seasonal beauties? A good source of information is the Wenatchee Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. They have maps that show publicly-owned lands you can visit. The BLM’s Washington Watchable Wildflower: A Columbia Basin Guide is out-of-print, but available for viewing online. It includes driving directions to BLM sites including Rock Island Grade, South Douglas Creek, and North Douglas Creek. Washington’s The Nature Conservancy has protected shrub-steppe habitats in the Moses Coulee Area where you can see many of the species highlighted in this blog. Near Vantage, Ginko Petrified Forest Interpretive Center has trails through lithosol habitats, just above the Columbia River. Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park and Steamboat Rock State Parks have lithosol habitats to visit. The Ancient Lakes State Wildlife Area has many trails that cross lithosol habitats. The PSE Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility is a good destination in later May, as it is at a higher elevation.
