and More Spring Flowers

Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) Not a North American native, but a common winter annual.

Purple Dead Nettle at Long Hunter State Park April 2013



Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) Common eastern native wildflower. There are two other native other Erythroniums, one blooming white.

Trout Lily at Long Hunter State Park April 2013

 

http://tnps.org/   to visit the Tennessee Native Plant Society. It’s a nice resource for plant identification and to find out where to buy nursery grown native wildflowers. (Don’t disturb the wild ecology-don’t steal plants from public lands, thanks.)

 

(All images copyright Mary Boyd 2013)

Spring Wildflowers

Winter gave us some warm days in January and early February but the last several weeks have been about 10 degrees below normal for middle Tennessee. Spring wildflowers are just now popping up, emerging from beneath the leaf litter in the woods. Or in wildflower shady gardens. . Those in sunnier spots are already blooming; some are waiting for a little more warmth.

Here are some reasons to love shade: the first spring ephemerals are showing.  Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), Trilliums,   Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum)and Ginger (Asarum) are just showing their new leaves and will bloom later.

 

Along with these you will probably find in your shade garden the full crop of winter annual weeds coming to peak. Some of them are quite beautiful, like Purple Dead Nettle and Henbit (both Lamium genus).

Many parks are hosting guided wildflower walks, great opportunities to observe and learn about our many beautiful flowers from well-informed naturalists.

Local favorites include Beamon Park , Radnor Lake, the Warner Parks, and Cedars of Lebanon. 

Trails & Trilliums is an annual event in Monteagle celebrating the South Cumberland Recreation Area and the surrounding communities with a wealth of activities about native plants.  http://www.friendsofscsra.org/trailsandtrilliums.org/ April 14-16