On a summer day, I decided to go to the top of Mt. Fleet (article link). It was not a very good hike, but I enjoyed the view anyway. On the way back down, I carefully worked by way down some small cliffs to a cut block. At the edge of the area, out in an open spot, was a brilliant pink wildflower, a new one for me. I took some photos (I need a macro lens!) and came home to identify it. After some searching, I found out that it was Prince’s Pine.

This is an evergreen shrub which grows up to 35 cm tall. The leaves are toothed and the flowers are white to pink, waxy and saucer-shaped. They have a slight perfumed scent. They can be found in well-drained locations near rotting wood or in humus at middle elevations.

Aboriginal people used the plant for medicinal teas and experiments have shown that it has anti-diuretic and hypoglycemic properties. Chimaphila umbellata, spotted at N50 46.207 W120 08.942 (within about 40m).