| Today, I went out to some property owned by old friends of ours - the Farm. I wanted to check and see if the skunk cabbage was flowering, since I've never actually seen that before. There were leaves all over the place, but I couldn't find any flowers. After getting home, I find that skunk cabbage blooms before the leaves come up - sometimes so early that they're pushing up through the snow. Saw some other cool flowers, though. I'll try for the skunk cabbage again next year. | |
This is the Sessile or Red Trillium, also known as Toadshade (Trillium sessile, Liliaceae). It is usually found in moist woods and prairies. It can be distinguished by the lack of stalks on the leaves. |
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This is the False Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides, Ranunculaceae). The leaves on a False Rue Anemone are lobed, where the Rue Anemone's leaves are just notched. |
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 These are the Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria, Fumariaceae). They're really cool looking flowers. They have a relative that looks similar, with flowers that look remarkably like a white bleeding-heart plant. It's called Squirrel Corn. |
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These are the first bluebells that I've seen open this spring! This is the Virginia Bluebell, or Virginia Cowslip (Mertensia virginica, Boraginaceae). It's usually found in wooded river bottoms, sometimes in great glowing patches. |
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This is the Marsh Marigold, or Cowslip (Caltha palustris, Ranunculaceae). These are found in and alongside streams, marshes, brooks and wet meadows. The petals are shiny, like a buttercup, and bright yellow. This definitely made up for the skunk cabbage! |
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