One of the first and very abundant plants we saw were the Nootka Lupine growing in ditches and in construction areas. They have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots, so they can grow in disturbed and nutrient-poor areas. It is not native and can be considered invasive. It’s beautiful, though, and helps stabilize soil.

Many plants growing on lava fields were small alpine plants with small flowers. The last three pictured below are taller and found in grassy areas, with the horsetails near waterfall meadows as they need a wet environment. I was excited to see so many plants new to me in my Seek app. Martie has a sharp eye for plants, and her plant hunting help was greatly appreciated.

The Akureyri Botanical Gardens was a beautiful park within easy walking distance from the Hotel Kea in Akureyri. The Himalayan blue poppy was my favorite. They love cool, moist climates, so I won’t be growing these at home.

We observed kelp/algae on rocks at Skardavik beach and in the tidal pools near Hvalnes Lighthouse.