Sunday, May 17, 2015

A Dazzling Display of Forest Wildflowers

Red Trillium had a good showing in the old woods
It was impossible to keep on top of everything as it happened this spring. The wildflowers in the old woods had gotten off to a slow start, but then unseasonably warm temperatures at the onset of May caused everything to explode out of the ground. Leaves also came out almost overnight and transformed naked winter-like tree tops into a shady canopy.  The earliest wildflowers like Spring Beauty, Hepatica and Bloodroot enjoyed an extended bloom time, while virtually all of the second wave blooms were much shorter lived.  
Large-flowered Bellwort with its unusual drooping and leaf-like flower
Trout Lily also known as Dog-tooth Lily
Toad Shade - some years it's the first to bloom - this year it's way down on the list
Toad Shade Trillium flowers sometimes have green petals 
One of our rarest flowers - Rue Anemone
False Rue Anemone
Jack-in-the-Pulpit is enjoying a long blooming period despite the warm weather
Red Trillium at the height of its power
Close to the ground and often missed - Wild Ginger flowers
Wild Ginger 
One of the last Bloodroot flowers to keep its petals 
Spring Beauties 
Dutchman's Breeches were rare this spring
Twinleaf bloomed for a very short time
Round-leaved Yellow Violet
White Sweet Violet
Long-spurred Violet
Goldenseal
White Trillium in all its glory
Foam Flower
Miterwort or False Bishop's Cap
Moosewood or Northern Striped Maple
Scarlet Elf Cup - a Fungus
Fiddleheads of the Christmas Fern
Fiddleheads of the Long-leaf Beech Fern
The forest's official greeter

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful, I look forward to your beautiful photography.

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  2. I enjoyed your article in MVL while waiting for eye exam. Especially liked the Beaver info. Fascinating, thank you..

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  3. what great pictures. I love upstate New York and visit once per year to see my family. Am now in South Texas. We do have the gulf coast, but upstate N.Y. still has a place in my heart. Thanks for the great visual tour.

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