Field Trips to Gibbons Prairie, July 10 and 15

Originally published in the August 2022 issue of the WildFlower News

by Kathleen Mpulubusi

The Gibbons Badlands Prairie is located on the west bank of the Sturgeon River, opposite the town of Gibbons. It is about a 1km stretch of native prairie grassland with exposures of the Edmonton formation which is the same rock seen in the Badlands further south. It’s a little slice of Badlands here in the Edmonton area which makes it very unique and special.

The trip leaders were myself, Cherry Dodd and Kate Spencer. Altogether there were 25 participants for both trips. The plant stars of this area are the prairie plants. Chief among them is the Fragile Prickly Pear (Opuntia fragilis). It grows along the rock faces where it is the hottest. As the name implies the little pads break off easily and you can get souvenirs in your shoes if you are not careful. Fragile Prickly Pear is the northernmost cactus growing in North America also found here up in the Peace River area. On the Sunday trip, the cactus was not in bloom but on the Friday trip it was with its beautiful yellow flowers. Other flowers of note blooming were as follows:

Prairie Cinquefoil (Potentilla pensylvanica)

Curly-cup Gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)

Shining Arnica (Arnica fulgens)

Prairie Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana)

Narrow-leaved Collomia (Collomia linearis)

Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)

Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

White Cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta)

Spiny Iron Plant (Xanthisma spinulosum)

Pasture Sage (Artemisia frigida)

Scarlet Mallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea)

Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale)

Smooth Fleabane (Erigeron glabellus)

Among the colourful wildflowers on the badlands slopes at Gibbons Prairie we observed several grass species present, including the particularly attractive blue grama and June grass.

On the moister banks close to the Sturgeon River and in the drainages in the gullies a variety of shrubs grow, including Wolf Willow (Elaeagnus commutata), Buckbrush (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) and Narrow-leafed Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba).

The Gibbons prairie is a wonderful gem in the Edmonton area. Native grassland is one of the most threatened ecosystems in North America and vitally important as a place of carbon storage.

This land is owned by the Town of Gibbons. Unfortunately the fence is broken down in many places and the signs stating this is a protected area have been removed. ENPS will be contacting the Town to state our concerns and hope that the fence and signage can be repaired.

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” - John Muir

Badlands Plants: Fragile Prickly Pear (Opuntia fragilis) in full bloom and fading; the prairie with Green Needle Grass; Scarlet Mallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea); and Gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa). Photos by K. Mpulubusi (cactus in full bloom); the others by K. Spencer, July 2022.