We weren't sure the day would be bright enough for the Spring Beauties to be open. They close in cloudy weather and before rain storms. The day brightened just enough when we walked into the woods. Their petals were spread wide. These were older flowers so they were pinker and the "bee lines" the bees and other insects follow to the nectar were visible.
This was the first day we saw Sessile Trillium open. I like this photo because the veins in the petals show in a delicate pattern. The petals are very dark so often the veins are hard to see and even harder to photograph.
Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides) Buttercup Family...sometimes called Windflower
This was another first flower for us for this spring. The Sessile Trillium petals are dark maroon in the photo as they usually are, especially in the shade.
Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum) Lily Family...sometimes called Adder's-tongue
These were the first we have seen this year. Their blooming span is very short, shorter than most of the other ephemeral flowers of spring. I was glad we chose this day to walk.
Cutleaf Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) Mustard Family
Once we found the first Cutleaf Toothwort, we found many more.
Bloodroot leaves
We found lots of these leaves, their flowers gone. We kept looking and we found a few still blooming. This is another flower with an extremely short blooming span.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Poppy Family
Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) Lily Family
We were pleased to see the drooping trillium beginning to show themselves. We found the leaves of the Large-flowered or White Trillium, too. This sepals of this one had opened enough so we could see the white petals. In a week or so the Drooping Trillium and Large-flowered Trillium will carpet the sanctuary. The leaves of the two trilliums are somewhat different in shape.
Large-flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) Lily Family
Tom spotted one small cluster of Blue Cohosh flowers. He decided to wait until there were showier clusters but I took this photo with my little camera.
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Barberry Family
Finally Tom found what he wanted most to photograph...
Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) Poppy Family
These were the first we have seen this year. Their blooming span is very short, shorter than most of the other ephemeral flowers of spring. I was glad we chose this day to walk.
Once we found the first Cutleaf Toothwort, we found many more.
We found lots of these leaves, their flowers gone. We kept looking and we found a few still blooming. This is another flower with an extremely short blooming span.
We were pleased to see the drooping trillium beginning to show themselves. We found the leaves of the Large-flowered or White Trillium, too. This sepals of this one had opened enough so we could see the white petals. In a week or so the Drooping Trillium and Large-flowered Trillium will carpet the sanctuary. The leaves of the two trilliums are somewhat different in shape.
Tom spotted one small cluster of Blue Cohosh flowers. He decided to wait until there were showier clusters but I took this photo with my little camera.
Finally Tom found what he wanted most to photograph...
