In places, the ground was a carpet of toothwort.
(Cardamine spp.)
Mayapples were sprouting up everywhere. Soon the woods will be full of their little umbrellas.
(Podophyllum peltatum)
Deciduous wild ginger made its first appearance of the spring. The flower part isn't open yet.
(Asarum canadense)
Trillium cuneatum was popping open too, so thick in some areas that you could actually smell them. The scent is meant to attract flies as pollinators, so it's not exactly pleasant. For me, latin names are best for most trilliums, since their common names seem to be used so interchangeably (wake robin, sweet betsy, toadshade, etc.).
Wild Blue Phlox is just starting to appear.
(Phlox divaricata)
A small first year mullein plant. The story goes that if you use this for uh, wiping things in the woods, you'll regret it... It looks soft but has irritating hairs. It's an introduced plant, classified as a noxious weed, that has been in the US since the 1700s. I've read that a single plant can produce over 100,000 seeds, which can remain viable for 100 years or more.
(Verbascum thapsus)
Have you seen any of those fiddlehead thingies? The stalks that curl under in a spiral? I used to see those in the Bankhead Nat'l Forest during my camping days.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen any of those fiddlehead thingies? The stalks that curl under in a spiral? I used to see those in the Bankhead Nat'l Forest during my camping days.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, are my hands itching to dig in the dirt when I see your photos. We are having a major storm here...rain, rain and more rain.
ReplyDeleteYou live in a beautiful area. I'm jealous.
Our may apples have just begun to come up. It will be a while yet before the mature ones bloom.
ReplyDeleteOn our Sunday morning, walk we were treated to a carpet of bloodroot -- blooming very late this year. We also found the first open flowers of the southern twayblade. I hope to get some pictures to post if this storm system ever moves out :)
One question, how do you manage to get multiple photos in one post? I have been trying to figure out how to do that.
these are the wildflowers from my childhood...they bring back happy memories of spring.
ReplyDeletethese are the wildflowers from my childhood...they bring back happy memories of spring.
ReplyDeleteKaren, thanks so much for sharing your walk with us. It makes me feel the longing that comes with every spring, so different from the bittersweet ache of fall. You see, wonderfully, in the way that Rilke wrote of seeing.
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody. I'm not sure why blogger wants to post some comments double today.
ReplyDeleteSM, I have seen those - they are ferns unfurling, if I'm thinking about the same thing that you are. I haven't seen any this spring yet though.
Hick, we're having lots of rain too, since Saturday. The garden is under water! My brother says the pictures look better than the place actually is. :)
S4M, no twayblades for us, alas. I'm jealous.
The procedure for posting more than one pic is a pain in the patootie. You make a draft entry in blogger. Save it and then do a Hello post. Copy that, delete it, and paste it into your draft blogger entry. Rinse and repeat! I told you it was a pain. I'm sure there are other services that will do it all at once, but I don't know enough yet to use them.
Thanks Anonymous commenter. I always wonder who the anonymous commenters are. I appreciate you stopping by.
Orphyus, thanks so much. You really need to dust off your camera and take a few walks yourself! Maybe you'll meet a girl reading Rilke in the park... :) I'm rooting for you.
I've never been to you site beofre. I linked to it from your comment on "small hands".
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the beautiful pictures. We don't see those types of flowers in Southern California.
Thanks Bballmom. BTW, I love Small Hands' site - I really envy her sewing skills!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! Arent early spring walks great? There is an aura of hope and expectation, especially near dawn.
ReplyDeleteUp here in Colorado, I came across a wild easter daisy (Townsendia), on Easter, of course. Made my day:
See pic of it at the bottom of this page:
http://www.naturalist.org/pages/032805.html
Love your pictures...trillium is one of my favorites. I can't wait until we start seeing signs of spring. Our pond is starting to thaw, so at least I know the peepers aren't too far away.
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers ! Spring has just begun here, in France. No leaves on trees yet, but some flowers (daffodils and primroses).
ReplyDeleteThanks y'all.
ReplyDeleteEaster daisies - cool! Hadn't seen those before.
Liz I think trilliums are my favorite wildflowers. I keep wanting to find every type here on our land... I know it's not going to happen but I keep looking anyway! :)
Jenny, would you believe that the temperatures are already getting so warm that we have to turn on the air conditioner some days?! Sometimes spring doesn't last long here, and we go directly into (the very hot) summer.