pink lady slipper

Blooming Huckleberries and Pink Lady’s-Slippers

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The Box Huckleberry Natural Area in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania has more than one special plant flowering in April.

The Box Huckleberry, Gaylussacia brachycera, continues to bloom with many white, bell-shaped blossoms opening up to the warmth of the day.

Evergreen oval leaves and white blooms of Box Huckleberry.
Evergreen oval leaves and white blooms of Box Huckleberry.

White blueberry-like flowers on the New Bloomfield Box Huckleberry.

The huckleberry blooms are pink in the bud stage and white as they mature.

Box huckleberry flowers in white and pink.
Box huckleberry flowers in white and pink.
The oldest blooms have fallen away while others still flower.
The oldest blooms have fallen away while others still flower.

They don’t all bloom at once. Note in the image above, taken 18 April 2010, that several blossoms have already fallen away, yet there are still many flowers blooming.

Lots of fresh huckleberry flowers at the tips of the stems.
Lots of fresh huckleberry flowers at the tips of the stems.
Mass blooming of box huckleberry plant.
Mass blooming of box huckleberry plant.

A couple weeks later, 30 April 2010, there were still a few flowering huckleberries, but most had already flowered. Little green berries could be seen at the tips on some stems.

Flowers and tiny green berries of box huckleberry.
Flowers and tiny green berries of box huckleberry.

Green huckleberries at the tip of the stem show that these blossoms flowered first, even though the plant is still flowering further up the stem. (Photo taken 30 April 2010.)

The Box Huckleberry propagates via growth of lateral shoots.
The Box Huckleberry propagates via growth of lateral shoots.

Huckleberry new growth arises from projections along older stems. (Photo taken 30 April 2010.)

Lateral growth of new shoots of the box huckleberry.
Lateral growth of new shoots of the box huckleberry plant.

New light green foliage grows vertically from many places along a single stem. (Photo taken 30 April 2010.)

Continuing down the trail I had a nice surprise when I saw a Pink Lady’s-Slipper, Cypripedium acaule. Since I was so focused on the box huckleberry plant, the lady slipper practically jumped out at me. The shape and color were so different from the evergreen ovals of the huckleberry.

A young pink lady slipper orchid also known as the moccasin flower.
A young pink lady slipper orchid also known as the moccasin flower.

An orchid known as Pink Lady’s Slipper or Moccasin Flower due to its pouch-like flower. Stay tuned for photos of pink ladys slippers.

Even though we have seen the pink lady’s slipper flowering on the mountain ridges in this area, I was delighted to see this pretty orchid here in a protected forest setting.

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