Our woodland is alive with wildflowers. Once again, I'm including only native plants for this Six on Saturday post, because this is the most active time for wildflowers—before the trees fully leaf out. Trilliums are the stars of the show, including Great White Trillium (T. grandiflorum), in the photo above.
Red Trillium (T. erectum) is another thriller, and its naturally occurring patch (planted by nature) appears to be spreading.
It's said that when Mayapples' (Podophyllum peltatum) umbrella foliage flattens out, Morel mushrooms are nearby. I've never found the mushrooms in our woodland, though the Mayapples certainly form a colony on the hill.
The Mayapples aren't blooming yet, but the buds are about to break.
Next, I'm cheating and including a mix of Violets (Viola spp.) as one of my "six," since there are so many colors and several species on the property. I believe the purple and white ones shown here are V. sororia and the yellow is V. eriocarpa.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is another reliable return visitor every year. Its unique form always fascinates me.
Most Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) range from pink to lavender to bright blue. But there's a patch of the less-common white ones in our woods, which I think are as beautiful as the others.
How about you? What's blooming in your garden and on your property? For more examples from around the world, visit Garden Ruminations.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit! What a great name and an impressive looking plant. Is it carnivorous?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a fun plant. Apparently it isn't carnivorous, although insects sometimes get trapped in the bottom of the bloom. The Jacks are very plentiful here and, as with most of the plants shown here, I didn't plant them...they naturally occur.
DeleteGreat selections! Do you also have bloodroot? When I lived in the PNW, I saw a lot of trillium, but I know that the treeline that technically belongs to my behind the house neighbor had trillium and jack in the pulpit. I should poke my head in and see what's up!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth: Thanks! Yes, sadly...while we did have Bloodroot for many years, I haven't seen it in the woodland for several years now. I hope it will come back. Yes, keep us posted on what you find!
DeleteThat's one incredible display, Beth! Have I ever told you that woodland gardens are my favorites? How I ended up gardening in SoCal is a big question. While this climate has its advantages, woodland plants aren't one of them.
ReplyDeleteI understand both of your perspectives! I truly love temperate woodlands at this time of year (and prairies--now and later, too). I'm so happy to live here in S. Wisconsin from May through October, but you can't beat SoCal from November through April. And, actually, it's wonderful the other months, too. :)
DeleteTrillium flowers and leaves are truly amazing. I don't have any in my garden, but every time I see them on social medias, I love them. On the other hand, I do have an Arisaema tortuosum (whipcord cobra lily) with its amazing blooms and distinctive scent...
ReplyDeleteI agree. :) I wasn't familiar with Arisaema tortuosum--it does seem very similar to its "cousin" A. triphyllum. Fun! I'll read up on it some more. Thanks!
DeleteThe trilliums are gorgeous, but I also love the Virginia bluebells, I've never seen those before.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen: I don't think I saw the white Va. Bluebells much in the past, either. All plants in this post were planted by Mother Nature, except the Va. Bluebells. And in a sense some of them were, too. Back in 2013, I planted some Va. Bluebells from seed. They've slowly expanded into the woodland, so I guess that part was Mother Nature's role. ;-) And the white ones were a surprise, indeed!
DeleteLooking through all your unusual flowers I love the Red Trillium. I've never seen them before or a couple of the others. IT's surpising how versatile a woodland garden can be.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true about woodland gardens. And this is their time of year to really shine--when the trees are leafing out but still allowing some sunlight. The spring ephemerals are truly magical. :)
DeleteLovely variety of spring blooms, Beth. Those trilliums are stunning--that red!! That jack-in-the-pulpit looks like it's having a good laugh about something! Nice post! Tina
ReplyDeleteHi Tina: The ephemerals are truly entertaining and wonderful to view every year in spring. They vary a bit from year to year, too.
DeleteWoodland gardening is my favourite sort of gardening and I really like your trilliums, especially the white one which must show up beautifully in the shade.
ReplyDeleteHi Pauline: Yes, the Trilliums are the stars of the show this time of year. I was so thrilled to find them during our first spring on this property. And all the other ephemerals are magical, too.
DeleteWhat a beautiful post, Beth. The photos of the woodland plants are terrific. I love the trilliums, and the ground cover produced by the Mayapples is really impressive. They’re like an alien marching army. I find every one of your images fascinating, including the quaintly named ‘Jack-in-the-Pulpit’!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine: Thank you! Yes, the Mayapples have found their perfect territory on the hill, and they've been there year after year since we move in more than two decades ago. The other plants have been plentiful most years, too. :)
Deletehi Beth! i love that the woodlands are your garden-- how fun is that? here in Ohio, i have seen all of the plants (except the VA bluebells) growing in our natural woodlands-- and now i want to go hiking. <3
ReplyDeleteHi Ren: Lucky you! Yes, please share what you find during your hikes. Our woodland is a very small remnant of what was here before settlement, and I love it. :)
DeleteIt is beautiful. I love our Wisconsin spring flowers. I have never seen a red trillium.
ReplyDeleteCarla
Yes, Midwestern spring flowers are magical, aren't they? I didn't see the Red Trillium until a few years into our settlement here. They seem to be slowly spreading a bit.
DeleteThe first trillium image is beautiful - but the others are as well. I haven’t seen the white form of bluebells here, nice find!
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to find the white Va. Bluebells a few years back. They are unique, for sure. I planted the blue form about 10 years ago at the edge of the forest. I don't know if the ones further in the woods, including the white ones, were seeded from my plantings or from nature or other neighbors' plantings. But I love them.
DeleteI love the red trillium, you don't often see that color!
ReplyDeleteIt's a unique plant, for sure. We have three forms of Trilliums here, but the Prairie Trillium (T. recurvatum--not in this post) isn't doing as well this year. I think the rabbits or deer nipped it. Fingers crossed that it will come back again next year.
DeleteBeautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. They are special plants!
DeleteAre these all natives with you Beth? Here they are highly desirable exotics. Gorgeous trilliums.
ReplyDeleteHi Chloris: Yes, they are all native here, and naturally occurring in the woodland. I didn't plant any of them, although the Virginia Bluebells may have developed from seeds of others I did plant. :)
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