"...all in blume..."

By editor

Big Timber, Sweet Grass County, Montana

In the summer of 1806, the Yellowstone Valley near present-day Big Timber, Montana, lay vibrant and rich beneath a sun that had traversed ancient skies long before the hand of man marked its course. The Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, passed through this valley with a keen eye for the natural world, instructed explicitly by President Thomas Jefferson to record its botanical treasures with scientific exactitude.

Jefferson’s fascination with the vegetable kingdom was more than mere curiosity. He envisioned the vast western lands as an open ledger of nature’s designs, to be studied, cataloged, and understood. He charged Lewis to “notice the soil and face of the country, its growth and vegetable productions, especially those not in the U.S., and the date at which particular plants put forth or lose their flowers or leaf.” This directive shaped the expedition’s approach to the flora they encountered, not as incidental observations, but as specimens of a larger natural order.

On July 16, 1806, William Clark recorded in his journal a brief but vivid note from the Yellowstone Valley: “observe the Silkgrass, Sunflower & Wild indigo all in blume.” The phrase “all in blume” evokes a landscape fully adorned with blossoms, each plant a participant in the intricate cycle of flowering and fruiting that defines the temperate summer. Silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia) swayed like threads of gold beneath the sun, sunflowers (Helianthus species) turned their radiant faces toward the light, and wild indigo (Baptisia australis) unfurled its deep blue petals--a triad of species thriving together in the valley’s calcareous soils.

Two days later, Clark’s journal offers another botanical note, this one revealing a gustatory delight: “I found great quantities of the Purple, yellow & black currents ripe. they were of an excellent flavor. I think the purple Superior to any I have ever tasted.” These currents--more precisely currants (Ribes species)--were not merely food but a discovery of palatable diversity. Clark’s keen palate appreciated the purple currant’s sweetness, a native fruit that had sustained Indigenous peoples long before the explorers arrived.

The botanical bounty of the Yellowstone Valley extended far beyond these few species. Throughout their journey, Lewis and Clark collected 178 plants new to science, many bearing names that commemorate their efforts. Blue flax, Linum lewisii, with its delicate pale blue petals, honored Meriwether Lewis. Mimulus lewisii, known as Lewis’ monkeyflower, flaunted bright magenta blossoms that thrived along moist streams. Bitterroot, Lewisia rediviva, would gain the distinction of Montana’s state flower; its fleshy taproot and striking pink to white flowers bore a resilience that matched the rugged mountain terrain from which it sprang.

Clark’s name found botanical immortality in Clarkia pulchella, the elkhorn flower. Its petals, branching and forked, resemble the antlers of the elk, a symbol both of the region’s wildlife and the plant’s own structural elegance. These species were not isolated curiosities but elements of a living landscape that supported the expedition’s passage and the Indigenous peoples who guided them.

The Yellowstone Valley’s arboreal presence also commanded attention. The ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), now the state tree of Montana, rose tall and stately, its bark thick and orange-hued, often scarred by the fires that Indigenous communities deliberately set to manage the forest. Clark noted that Native tribes burned the centers of these trees to hollow them for canoes, a practice that combined practical knowledge with ecological stewardship.

Cottonwoods (Populus species) lined the riverbanks, their broad leaves shimmering in the summer light. These towering trees provided shade from the relentless sun, shelter from the wind, and materials for the expedition’s needs--firewood, furniture, even wagon wheels. The cottonwood’s presence was a lifeline in a landscape otherwise open to the elements.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), also known as Juneberry or Sarvisberry, contributed its sweet fruits to the foraging knowledge shared by Indigenous guides. The silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea), with its distinctive silvery leaves and tart berries, added another dimension to this complex botanical community.

The camas lily (Camassia quamash), a bulbous plant with star-shaped blue flowers, held significance not only for its beauty but also as a traditional food source for Native Americans. Its bulbs, rich in carbohydrates, were harvested and cooked carefully to release sweetness and avoid toxicity.

Mockorange (Philadelphus lewisii), with its fragrant white blooms, scented the air along the river’s edge, a subtle yet persistent reminder of the diversity of the valley’s flora.

The journey of these botanical specimens from the Yellowstone Valley to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia was arduous. The bitterroot collected by Lewis traveled by horse, boat, and stagecoach across thousands of miles. It emerged in the East as a symbol of the unknown West, a tangible connection between distant lands and the scientific curiosity that propelled the young nation forward.

The relationship between the Corps of Discovery and the Indigenous peoples they encountered was crucial to their success in cataloging the valley’s natural resources. Native guides taught the explorers which roots and berries were safe to eat, which plants held medicinal value, and how to harvest them sustainably. This exchange of knowledge allowed the expedition to survive and thrive in unfamiliar terrain, adding layers of understanding to their botanical records.

The landscape itself spoke of deep geological processes. The Yellowstone Valley lies within the greater Rocky Mountain region, shaped by ancient tectonic forces and volcanic activity. The soils that nurtured these plants were products of millennia--glacial deposits, volcanic ash, and riverine sediments mingled to create the fertile grounds where wild indigo and silkgrass took root. One can imagine Lewis and Clark standing amid this living geology, recording not only the plants but sensing the earth’s restless history beneath their feet.

Thomas Jefferson’s vision for the expedition was clear in its scientific rigor. He wrote to Lewis, “The information you shall collect on the natural history, and particularly on the vegetables of the country, will be of the highest importance.” The expedition fulfilled this charge with meticulous collection and observation, setting a standard for botanical exploration in the American West.

In these journals and specimens, the Yellowstone Valley reveals itself not as a mere waypoint but as a place of abundant life and complex interplay between soil, climate, and living organisms. The phrase Clark penned--“all in blume”--captures a fleeting moment when the valley’s botanical splendor was at its peak, a scene of flourishing growth that continues to inspire those who study and cherish Montana’s natural heritage.

See also

• "...all in blume..." at Big Timber, Sweet Grass County
• Legacy of Lewis and Clark: Opening the Yellowstone Corridor at Livingston, Park County
• Clark's Footprints to Eastern Montana's Future at Bill