Spring Wildflowers — ArchonApp

Lady Slipper

I put together a selection of spring wildflowers from some recent walks. Its raining today so I'm trapped inside for the moment. The first is a Lady Slipper. The Lady Slipper is a wild orchid that is somewhat rare. Around here, everyone knows where there are a few. And everyone keeps it a secret to protect them lol

Columbine

Red columbine is very common. I have some blue columbine in my flower beds but the wild ones always bloom first.

Gaywing

Many wildflowers are subtle like the small gaywing.

Yellow Rocket

Some are invasive and therefore not popular but still colorful like this yellow rocket.

Jack in the Pulpit

Here is another subtle bloom that might be missed - a Jack in the Pulpit. This flower is rare and protected in Vermont.

Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley are not native but have naturalized in the woodlands of Vermont.

Perwinkle

Finally, periwinkle or creeping myrtle. Lovely little blooms and attractive ground cover BUT again its invasive. It spreads aggressively and chocks out native plants.

Its interesting if you get out and spend some time learning your local wildflowers. They are an interesting mix of the very common to very rare, native to introduced to naturalized to invasive. Attention to details is always a good way to connect with nature.

There is so much beauty to be found in the woods! I.havent seen a lady slipper in years. We are overwhelmed with garlic mustard... nasty invasive stuff.

I have lots of lady slipper photos. I might do a separate post just on lady slippers. The pattern around here is anywhere there is a disturbance, the invasive stuff gets a foothold. Any disturbance - a road, clearing for a farm field, lumber operations, a new house.

Love all that you found! But, ummm, think the last is a violet... The gaywing is not one I've seen before.

Thanks. Great to have someone that actually reads my posts and looks at all the photos.

Here's a violet I found recently. They are a little different. The gaywings are a ground cover very similar to wintergreen in fact they are sometimes called flowering wintergreen but they don't have the red berries.

I used to have 8 different violets here in the yard, but I think I'm down to 4 now...

I need to get to know my violets better. There are definitely a couple of different type growing wild around here but I haven't learned the varieties.

Nice selection, my favorite is the jack in the pulpit. There are a few places I look for mushrooms where they are quite numerous. A weird thing is I've found lots of false morels near them. Ghost plants also grow near them. Maybe this is only the case in Illinois.

Thanks. I love the way it all ties together, the blooms, the leaves coming out, the mushrooms, the birds arriving and nesting, the butterflies...