Thank you to WILDTHINGYS for sponsoring the cache
Red Columbine - An Island Spirit Legacy.
The Cowichan Valley Trail will take you from Duncan through Lake Cowichan and down past the Kinsol Trestle following former CN and E&N railway lines. With many access points and 8 trestles, it's a beautiful trail to walk, jog or bike. From the Island Spirit Team, we hope you enjoy your time in the Cowichan Valley.
All the Island Spirit Legacy Caches are within a 2 steps of the trail, unless otherwise noted. There is no need to bushwack or trample the vegetation.
Red Columbine
The Western Red Columbine is a perennial herb that blooms from March all the way through July. Flowers can bloom anywhere from 30 to 80 centimeters tall and grow off an underground stem. They are native to the Pacific Northwest and can be found on Vancouver Island. They can grow well in a variety of habitats including the thin soil found on steep rocky hillsides to the rich soil of Vancouver Island forests. When eaten the flowers offer a sweet taste however the seeds can be fatal and most other parts of the Western Red Columbine contain cyanogenic glycosides which will be transformed and released as hydrogen cyanide if the plant is attacked.