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Blue False Hope Indigo

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It has been three years since I planted the seeds of this perennial, blue false indigo, Baptisia australis. The greenery is delightful with its three-parted leaves reminding one of sweet clover.

Wild false indigo and its three-leaf habit.
Blue false indigo and its light green three-leaf habit.

The spikes of purple, pea-like flowers were less than spectacular, but still showed a deep purple that attracted hummingbirds for a brief time. Perhaps someone can clue me in as to the blooming habits of Baptisia spp.?

Spikes of purple attract hummingbirds to the flowers of wild false indigo.

Spikes of purple attract hummingbirds to the flowers of blue false indigo.

Mayapple Blooms

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The first week of May heralded the arrival of Mayapple flowers. For a couple of weeks now the showy umbrella-shaped leaves have been expanding to their full size. Some are over a foot wide. The flowers are located underneath the canopy of huge green leaves.

Mayapple flower and bud at the Y of two leaves.

Mayapple flower and bud at the “Y” of two leaves.

Usually the mayapple has two leaves overhanging a solitary flower that is borne from the “Y” of the two leaf stems. Here, we found a colony of mayapple containing a few plants having only one leaf over the single flower, which is contrary to what you might read in some wildflower books.

Single blossom underneath a single mayapple leaf.Single mayapple blossom.

Single mayapple leaf and blossom.

Single and double leaves of mayapple over a solitary blossom.

Single and double leaves overhanging the solitary mayapple flower. 

Besides the mayapples there are wild geraniums in bloom along the lane and in the woods under a light canopy of deciduous trees. The ground berries or brambles are ever present now and will bloom repeatedly for a month or more. The lily-of-the-valley is still in bloom and giving off its beautiful scent. The last of the common violets has faded away this week.

Lily-of-the-valley is still blooming and giving off its sweet scent.

Lily-of-the-valley is still blooming and giving off its sweet scent.

Bright yellow flowers in the yard are five-petaled cinquefoil.

Bright yellow flowers in the yard are five-petaled cinquefoil.

Well, about a week before Mother’s Day seems like a good time to come out and view the Mayapples blooming in Pennsylvania. I always liked the canopy-effect the huge leaves make. It’s easy to imagine little fairies romping underneath the mayapples!
Mayapple flowers under the canopy.

Mayapple flowers under the canopy.

Wild Pinks

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In the woods underneath an old oak tree each year I see this wild pink azalea come up in May with its straggly looking leaves. The leaves are long and slender and appear a bit crinkled when unfurling. I wonder if it will bloom more fully than the previous year, but alas all that appears are two flower heads. I have spotted more of this wild azalea in the woods but none of those plants have bloomed as of yet.

It is still really cool to see this wild pink azalea as its predecessors must have participated in bringing us such lovely shrubbery for our front yards and gardens. By the way our azaleas by the house did survive the last blasts of winter, but the leaves on each were bitten by the last frozen nights and some of the greenery will have to be pruned back. One of them does not look like it will bloom.

Wild Pink Azalea blooming under an old oak tree.
Wild Pink Azalea blooming under an old oak tree.

The Lily-of-the-Valley is blooming nicely now. A few of its stems of little white blossoms have been brought inside so that we can appreciate its wonderful aroma.

Lily-of-the-Valley blooms are open for all the passersby to smell.
Lily-of-the-Valley blooms are open for all the passersby to smell.

The other wild pink that I want to mention is the Pink Lady Slipper. Its blooms are out now, but I think its colors will brighten over the next few days to a deeper shade of pink.

The Pink Lady Slipper is blooming in the woods of Pennsylvania.
The Pink Lady Slipper is blooming in the woods of Pennsylvania.
Close view of the Pink Lady Slipper, also known as the Moccasin Flower.
Close view of the Pink Lady Slipper, also known as the Moccasin Flower.

If you are out in the woods looking for this beautiful orchid, set your sights on the two green leaves. The top of the flower might be missed if you are looking down on the lady slipper as the sepals blend in with the forest floor.

Leaves of the Pink Lady Slipper are more noticeable at first glance.
Leaves of the Pink Lady Slipper are more noticeable at first glance.
Leaves of the Pink Lady Slipper are more noticeable than the blossom at first glance.

Some seasons the orchid will not bloom, yet the plant will still send up its greenery.

The Pink Lady Slipper may not bloom each and every year as evidenced by the plant on the right here.
The Pink Lady Slipper may not bloom each and every year as evidenced by the plant on the right here.

Barberry, Newts and A Cow Rub

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In autumn I collect a few sprigs of the Japanese barberry for some greenery and a splash of color. The red berries that dangle down from the barbed branches are perfect for a little Christmas decoration. There are several of the barberry plants along the water stream that runs off from the pond. I only found one Japanese barberry plant blooming and it was situated high in the woods on the west side of the lane. I watched a bumble bee visit a few of the yellow, solitary flowers. None of the barberry near the runoff of the pond were blooming. The Japanese barberry is another alien plant that has escaped cultivation and adapted to local growing conditions. The pretty, scarlet red fruits hang from the leaf axils.

Yellow blooms of the Japanese barberry hang from the leaf axils.
Yellow blooms of the Japanese barberry hang from the leaf axils.

As I approached the pond I saw and heard several frogs jump in. Standing near the pond I spotted the first newts of the season. I saw a couple red spotted newts come up for a breath of air and then dive back down to a deeper area. The pond is pretty muddy-looking, partly from the goldfish that were seen spawning a few days ago, and partly from the plankton bloom that is happening. The newts were at the surface as they danced, one wrapping his tail around the other. They broke apart and embraced only a couple times before sinking back to the depths.

Violet mania has struck! Each time I drive or walk down the lane I go slowly to savor the beauty of the violets since I know their days are numbered.

Violets adorn our country lane at many places.
Violets adorn our country lane at many places.

The Common Blue Violet has five petals, like any other Viola species, with the two lower lateral petals being bearded and all three lower petals heavily lined.

Common blue violet up close showing bearded petals.
Common blue violet up close showing bearded petals.

Coltsfoot is doing a mating dance all its own. The once bright yellow flowers now look like dandelions’ heads just before you blow off the seeds. The coltsfoot leaves are giving away their namesake — the shape of a colt’s foot.

Colt's foot leaves are apparent as the flowers are ready to re-seed themselves.
Colt’s foot leaves are apparent as the flowers are ready to re-seed themselves.

One reason that I enjoy taking flower walks is that I can take my time and really observe things up close. For instance, consider this little weed, called Gill-Over-the-Ground. It is a very low-growing plant that noone driving a car will ever see. It has beautiful, irregular flowers, much like an orchid in shape, which are blue and violet. It is an established alien plant. As a member of the mint family it has been used traditionally in folk medicine for treatment of lung and kidney ailments and as a blood purifier.

Gill-Over-the-Ground is also known as Ground Ivy and will bloom until July.
Gill-Over-the-Ground is also known as Ground Ivy and will bloom until July.

The Pink Lady Slippers are about 4 inches out of the ground. Their blooming should be right around Mother’s Day.

A favorite woodland flower is also blooming that we take special pride in announcing. The fairy wings are blooming! Fringed polygala, or gaywings as they’re called, look like little fairies. Of the five sepals two lateral ones look like wings. The three petals form a tube from which the stamens erupt in a round, fringed little fairy head. Fairy wings are members of the milkwort family. In olden days it was thought that if a nursing woman, or cow for that matter, ate milkwort then her milk production would increase. Don’t know if there is any truth to that tale.

Fringed polygala, Gaywings, or Fairy Wings, are delights to see on a woodland path!
Fringed polygala, Gaywings, or Fairy Wings, are delights to see on a woodland path!

Speaking of cows, who said they are dumb animals? Check out this big girl using a wire to scratch an itch!

Cow rubbing her rear end itch.
Cow rubbing her rear end itch.
Cow rubbing her front end itch.
Cow rubbing her front end itch!

Wild Ginger and Pedro

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The Wild Ginger has made a nice comeback from last year. The roots are sprouting up twice as many plants and the flowers that hug the ground are beginning to bloom. The rounded, heart-shaped leaves are still somewhat crinkley.

Wild ginger is a native perennial with a unique flower that sits on the ground.
Wild ginger is a native perennial with a unique flower that sits on the ground.

The wild ginger was obtained from a native plant conference that will take place again at Millersville University, June 2 and 3, 2006. The native plant sale is open to the public and it is a great place to talk with other native plant enthusiasts.

The mimosa trees are just now starting to show their buds. They must be one of the last to wake up from winter.

Lily-of-the-Valley plants are up and their flowers are formed, but not yet open. Can’t wait to take a whiff of these lovely perennials!

Lily-of-the-Valley has showy white flowers and a wonderful scent, too!
Lily-of-the-Valley has showy white flowers and a wonderful scent, too!

To my dismay I found at least one Eastern Hemlock tree is infected with the dreaded wooly adelgid. A couple hemlocks deeper in the woods are apparently not yet infected, but this tree that shows the telltale white blobs on the underside of small branches certainly is. I suspect the traffic that passes by the infected tree may have had a hand in bringing the pests to it. This hemlock sits next to the farmer’s lane that the farmer uses to reach a field adjacent to our property. Pickup trucks, four-wheelers, sprayers, tractors and combines have all passed by and who knows where else they’ve been.

The white blobs on the underside of the Eastern Hemlock branches are Wooly Adelgid pests.
The white blobs on the underside of the Eastern Hemlock branches are Wooly Adelgid pests.

My Wild False Indigo has taken three years from seed to get this far. I can’t wait to see it blooming!

Wild False Indigo started from a planted seed three years ago.
Wild False Indigo started from a planted seed three years ago.

In my walk around the property today I spotted someone watching me. Pedro! No, the farmer doesn’t employ any illegal aliens, but that is the name I have given the yellow and white tabby cat that must be one of the barn cats. Can you spot Pedro?

Pedro watching me watching him.
Pedro watching me watching him.

Bagging the Bag Worms

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Today I started out taking a walk with intentions of finding some flowers to photograph, but when I saw so many bag worms my plans were changed. I went back to the house, grabbed a couple of plastic grocery bags and headed back into the woods that separate the house from the farmer’s field. In this small area I bagged the bag worms, or tent worms if you prefer, from nearly a dozen small trees. An entomologist would call them Eastern Tent Caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum.

In the past I have burned them out with a lighter or used a stick to scramble their nest. Today, I thought to physically remove them from the cherry trees that they seem to prefer. Is it the taste of the leaves? Why do these destructive caterpillars choose cherry trees for their nests? Is it because many of the cherry trees are already damaged by a blight? I’ll research this a bit, but if anyone can enlighten me — please do!

Bag worms, also called tent worms, are infesting this small cherry tree.
Bag worms, also called tent caterpillars, are infesting this small cherry tree.

Wrapping my hand from the outside of the bag over the nest, squishing the worms into a big handful and sliding them into the plastic was pretty gross! I got over it though. I don’t like the idea of spraying chemicals to kill things, so manually removing the worms was necessary. Burning them out was not possible due to the dry state of things at the moment. If left untouched, the caterpillars would eat every leaf on their tree and other nearby trees.

Wild Oats and Garlic Mustard

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Well, the early Spring ephemerals are gone from the woods now. New blooms are taking their place while other plants are just starting out. It’s interesting that a plant will be blooming in the lower ground but not so in the woodlands higher up the ridge. I’m a little surprised to see such a difference in blooming times for a change of only about 30 feet in elevation. The Sessile-leaved Bellwort, also known as Wild Oats, was blooming on the lower ground near the spring, but those on the higher flat land have not yet developed their flowers. The higher bellworts have about 3 sets of leaves now.

Wild Oats blooming in the low lands.
Wild Oats blooming in the low lands.

Soloman’s Seal is developing its flowers, but none were found blooming yet.

The dogwood trees certainly are blooming, and will continue for another week or so.

Dogwood blooms in the forest.
Dogwood blooms in the forest.

The mustards are blooming in full. There are over 130 species in the NorthEast, so identifications can be difficult. As members of the Cruciferae family, each mustard has four regular petals in the shape of a cross. Familiar vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, belong to this group. Garlic mustard is easily identified, however, by its stalked, somewhat triangular or heart-shaped leaves that have the odor of garlic when crushed. Garlic mustard is an alien plant that has become established nearly everywhere, to the demise of some native plants. Feel free to pull it out!

Garlic mustard showing the typical four-petal flowers and triangular leaves.
Garlic mustard showing its triangular or heart-shaped leaves.
Garlic mustard showing the typical four-petal flowers.

Garlic mustard showing the typical four-petal flowers.

I spotted a couple of the Wild Geraniums blooming near the pond runoff. Those adjacent to the lane and those higher up the land are still developing their greenery.
Wild geranium blooming is just beginning.
Wild geranium blooming is just beginning.

In contrast to the single blooms of a few different plants, there are violets blooming everywhere. It is so pleasing to see so many violets bloom at once! The Common Blue Violet, Viola sp., with its heart-shaped leaves seems to be in its glory near the pond. The two lower side petals are bearded and the central lower petal is not.

The Common Blue Violet has heart-shaped leaves.
The Common Blue Violet has heart-shaped leaves.
The Common Blue Violet has heart-shaped leaves.
The Common Blue Violet is rather plentiful!

Rue Anemone and Sassafras

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The trees are beginning to leaf out in earnest now. Cherry trees are showing their white blossoms which are short-lived and last for about a week. On the left side of the drive you can see a cherry tree blooming.

Cherry blossoms brighten the driveway as the trees are still developing their leaves.
Cherry blossoms brighten the driveway as the trees are still developing their leaves.

There is a little patch of Rue Anemone along the gravel road which comes back year after year. This patch receives morning sun and is shaded in the afternoon by a big oak tree. Rue anemone is also known as Windflower, Anemonella thalictroides. The three-lobed leaves are in whorls and the white to pink petals, sepals really, number 5 to 11. A root tea was used by Native Americans to treat diarrhea and vomiting. As always take caution in ingesting any member of the buttercup family, like Rue Anemone, as they are toxic to some degree.

Rue anemone, or Windflower, is a showy Spring woodland flower.
Rue anemone, or Windflower, is a showy Spring woodland flower.

Mayapples are making their appearance for the season. Their large umbrella-like leaves emerge from the ground in a rolled-up fashion, slowly unfurling to a more erect posture. Here, a stand of mayapples is just coming up. Flowers of mayapple,
Podophyllum peltatum, will appear in a couple weeks.

Mayapple, also known as American Mandrake, is a perennial woodland favorite.
Mayapple, also known as American Mandrake, is a perennial woodland favorite.

Walking about the woods this week I did see my first snake — a small, brownish garter snake. I was surprised that I had not seen any snakes until this point in the season as we have been having unusually mild weather. Since the first sighting, a black snake and another garter have been spotted.

The dogwood trees are beginning to bloom. A faint white color is noticeable from a distance, but the blossoms should be more prominent in a few days.

A favorite tree of mine is Sassafras, Sassafras albidum. It is a member of the Laurel family along with cinnamon, sweet bay, avocado and spice bush. When the leaves or branchlets are broken they give off a pleasant odor. I’ll often break off a leaf or stem of sassafras for a little do-it-yourself aromatherapy. The sassafras flowers about the time the leaves are starting to appear. Male flowers have 9 stamens and female flowers have 6 sterile stamens and a central pistil. Each flower is small, 5 to 8 mm in diameter, and has 3 yellow petals and 3 yellow sepals that look alike.

Sassafras male flowers are showy at the edge of the woods.
Sassafras male flowers are showy at the edge of the woods.