“Super Bloom” occurs north of Grant

With the abundant rain this spring, land just north of Grant experienced its own super bloom with a profusion of lavender flowers gracing the hillsides west of North Hwy. 61 and Road 765. The two-foot tall blooms are called shell-leaf, or large penstemon (penstemon grandiflorus), and tend to appear when conditions are just right. They are native to the plains, and their tube-shaped blossoms, appearing in May and June, are loved by pollinators. Above, a grazing bovine is enjoying a walk through the blooms, and if you look closely, a burrowing owl can be seen in the foreground.

Photo by Becky Uehling