Ah, the spring beauties are up. This most delicate of woodlands flowers is often the first to bloom around my cabin in the spring. All at once, I am seeing them everywhere in the woods. They weren’t there yesterday morning, but by the time I arrived home last evening, I found dozens of them.The trout lily has bloomed as well, though maddeningly for me the flower seems to close whenever I have my camera in hand. The bloodroot was close to blooming last evening, so it might bloom today. As it is a one-day wonder, all the shouting might be over with by the time I get home tonight. I hope not. I hope I will get to see it whenever its day of glory is this year.
So the woods are starting to awaken again. For today, I am just happy to have clear skies and a warm sun again. It’s been too long since I’ve had that, even for a winter-loving woman like me.
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8 comments:
I've found both trout lilies and bloodroot at Hasty Brook before but don't remember spring beauties. I'll have to look closer.
Lynne: Spring beauties are tiny little things, perhaps only 3-4 inches tall. Good luck finding them.
Carolyn H.
Both bloodroot and trout lily are up here—though I haven't seen any spring beauties. Yet! But I'm watching. And for bluets, too, and long-spurred violets. The lesser celendine is starting to spatter the woods along the river with yellow.
Another great day here—bright and beautiful, supposed to make 70 degrees!
Griz: All the flowers you have is making me jealous!
Carolyn h.
I'm just starting to see green poke up here? I did uncover a fern starting to come up. Oh well
What you call Spring Beauties I would call Hepatica (Hepatica americana). Note the hairy stems and leaves with three deep lobes. This is one of the earliest woodland blooms in upstate NY, blooming before Blood Root or Trout Lily. You can find purple examples of it on my blog Saratoga Woods and Waterways. The Spring Beauty I know has weak sprawling stems, tiny leaves, and pale pink blooms with deeper pink stripes. But aren't they all spring beauties?
Woodswalker, If there's one thing I've discovered after blogging for several years, it's that names of plants that I assume are the same everywhere, aren't. But in this area, everyone calls these little beauties "spring beauties," and I don't think we have the little stripey flowers you mention. Post a photo on your blog so I can see!
And don't get me started with that whole trout lily, yellow violet, dog-toothed violet thing.
Carolyn H.
Cathy: I'll bet this warm weekend has brought more greenery up your way!
Carolyn H.
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