Wildflower Walk Recap
If you didn’t get a chance to join us on our wildflower walk last Sunday, here’s your chance to live vicariously through pictures! We saw Virginia Spring Beauties, Mayapples, Red Columbine, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Wild Ginger, and Wake Robin (to name a few).
If you didn’t get a chance to join us on our wildflower walk last Sunday, here’s your chance to live vicariously through pictures! After a bit of back and forth on the best location, we ended up just outside of Fries on the New River Trail. Led by Carol Broderson, our expert on wildflowers, and Amy Boucher, a member of the Friends of New River Trail, we learned some history about the area and then dove right in.
Group walking on the New River Trail, in an area with many invasive species.
Immediately after starting, Carol pointed out that the predominant species around us were non-natives or invasives that thrive in highly disturbed areas. If you’ve ever walked the Creeper trail in Abingdon, it would look very similar. We saw European honeysuckle, purple deadnettle, garlic mustard, bedstraw, and asiatic bittersweet (to name a few). The best way to manage these species? Stop them from establishing! Removing them is significantly more costly and time consuming than preventing them from showing up! Now that we’ve got that PSA out of the way, here’s what you came for…. the beautiful native wildflowers we did see!
Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica): One of the earliest wildflowers.
With five white petals covered in delicate pink striping, Virginia spring beauties are very similar to their relative, the Carolina spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana). Those pink stripes aren’t just pretty, though- they also reflect UV radiation and attract pollinators, like a runway to the stamens! Under the ground they have small, starchy corms, sometimes called fairy spuds, that can be cooked and eaten like potatoes! While we have plenty of Carolina spring beauties around BRDC, this was my first time seeing the Virginias. And I was struck by how tall they were! Another distinguishing feature was their longer, skinnier leaves. Once you’ve seen both in person, it’s much easier to distinguish them.
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum): The apples aren’t ready in May!
Another wildflower that’s hard to mistake for anything else, especially when it forms a large colony. First, one leaf will emerge. Just like a closed umbrella, until it POPS open! Some leaves will grow up to a foot in diameter, with deep lobes. Then some will grow a second leaf, giving them a Y-shaped stalk. Plants with two leaves are capable of developing a flower right where the two leaves meet. Large and white, with yellow stamens and pistils. Because of its placement, sometimes it can be difficult to see. Later in the season, go back and look for the tasty fruit (if the wildlife left you any)! But be careful- all parts of the mayapple are highly toxic except the ripened fruit!
Eastern Red Columbine ft. a caddisfly from the emergence happening on the New River.
Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): The wildflower of birds.
The long spurs and red color of the columbine flower are perfect for one of its preferred pollinators- the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). With a long, skinny beak, it has no trouble reaching distant nectaries! Lazy insects, when desperate, may take the easy way out and chew through the petals to reach nectar. This plant will easily hybridize with other non-native, ornamental plants of the same genus. Speaking of genus… its genus name, Aquilegia, comes from the Latin word for eagle- because its spurs look like talons!
Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum): A uniquely-shaped wildflower.
This flower can’t be mistaken for any other here in Virginia. A large green spathe with maroon striping hides a short spadix of flowers. The “Jack” inside the “pulpit”. Pollinated by flies, the best color to attract them is as close to rotting meat as you can get. Individuals can live for more than 25 years, and spread by seed and colonization from their underground corm. Wildlife are very fond of the bunch of tomato-like fruits that they bear in the fall.
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense): The spicy wildflower.
Just like the ginger we use today, wild ginger root was once used by Indigenous Americans and settlers as a spice. Nowadays we know that it can contain poisonous compounds, so eat at your own risk! The easiest way to find this wildflower is to look for pairs of heart-shaped leaves. The wild ginger flower has evolved to attract flies emerging after winter. Rusty red and hanging low on the ground, flies think it’s a dead animal and walk right in. The mature seeds are coated in oil, as a tasty bribe for ants. Once underground, the ants get their snack and the seed starts to grow.
Wake Robin or Red Trillium (Trillium erectum): The wildflower that ISN’T Toadshade.
As we learned on our walk, the trilliums wake robin and toadshade (Trillium sessile) are often confused with each other. Understandable, as they both have a whorl of three leaves and maroon flowers. The biggest difference? Wake robins have a stalk between their flower and whorl of leaves, which often has the flower angled down towards the ground. For toadshade, the flower sits directly on top of the leaves and opens up to the sky.
If you couldn’t make it this year, hopefully you can join us next year!
Earth Day Wildflower Walk
Carol Broderson and special guide, Snow Ferreniea enlightened us with their vast knowledge of wildflowers.
Such an exciting time! Spring brings with it a lovely display of ephemerals, birds and buds. Each April, BRDC, along with guides, volunteers and members, hike the New River Trail beginning at the low water bridge in Fries searching out the wildflowers. Carol Broderson and special guide, Snow Ferreniea enlightened us with their vast knowledge of wildflowers. A special thank you to them both!
This is the third year that I have joined this walk and I have yet to be disappointed. I will not bore you with the details but we had along an avid birder and a forester so we were triply treated this day. Here is our wildflower list and a few photos of the lovely plants:
Dead Nettle, Holly, blue violet, golden ragwort, gill over the ground*, spring beauty, common chickweed, garlic mustard*, wild geranium, coralbells, wake robin, jewelweed, black cohosh, blue cohosh, wild ginger, cutleaf toothwort, cranefly orchid, sweet white violet, dutchman's britches, early saxofrage, yellow fumewort, wood aster, solomon's seal, stonecrop, false solomon's seal, star chickweed, bishop's cap, may apple, waterleaf, canada violet, spiderwort, scouring rush*
*invasives
Early Spring Wildflowers on the New River Trail
On Easter Saturday, 23 people joined Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s Explorers Club for our annual wildflower walk on the New River Trail. The 57-mile trail is the state’s “most narrow state park,” and the section between Low Water Bridge near Fries and Fries Junction, where a 12-mile spur trail heads to Galax, is a special spot for early spring wildflowers. Hike leader Carol Broderson briefly discussed the history of botanizing in Virginia and the fate of the “great forest” that covered the Appalachians.
On Easter Saturday, 23 people joined Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s Explorers Club for our annual wildflower walk on the New River Trail. The 57-mile trail is the state’s “most narrow state park,” and the section between Low Water Bridge near Fries and Fries Junction, where a 12-mile spur trail heads to Galax, is a special spot for early spring wildflowers. Hike leader Carol Broderson briefly discussed the history of botanizing in Virginia and the fate of the “great forest” that covered the Appalachians.
Co-leader Snow Ferrenia has made a life career of plants and was formerly in charge of the woodland garden at the New York Botanical Garden. In addition to plant identification, Snow shared the history of many of the invasive plant species that we saw along the roadsides. Some of our younger participants helped in the control effort by gathering garlic mustard to make pesto.
The earliest spring wildflowers, like bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort and bluets, were on the wane, but, from the genus Trillium, we saw whole hillsides of wake robins, in shades from red through pink to white. These purple trilliums are also called “Stinking Benjamin” due to a wet dog odor that attracts insects for pollination. Wild ginger also appeals to insects with its ground-hugging brown blossoms.
Also in the running for most profuse was Dutchmen's breeches, a member of the bleeding heart family. We saw another family member, yellow corydalis. And early saxifrage was living up to its reputation as “rock breaker” on all of the cliff faces.
Golden ragwort and spring beauty lined the trail sides. Spring beauty, Clatonia virginica was named after Virginia’s first internationally famed botanist, John Clayton, who corresponded with Linneaus and Thomas Jefferson.
Colonies of mayapples popped up everywhere. We noted the rule that the mayapple needs two leaves before the white bloom will appear in the middle, but then we found the exception with just one leaf and a bloom. We noted the inconspicuous brown bloom of blue cohosh and discussed its use as a medicinal.
Late spring wildflowers, columbine, fire pink and wild geranium, were beginning their bloom season. High up, serviceberry heralded spring, and in the understory, Carolina silver bell and red bud lit up the woods.
The Blue Ridge Turning Green
The predominant color of middle May in the Blue Ridge mountains of SW VA is green.
Painted Trillium
The predominant color of middle May in the Blue Ridge mountains of SW VA is green.
There is an explosion in growth of plant life so an overall view of our farm shows a verdant landscape. Of course the re-awakening of the ecosystem after a winter's slumber first requires that plants provide the base of the food pyramid. In the fields this is predominantly grass, but in the woods spring wildflowers such as painted trillium are in bloom and trees are leafing out.
Herbivores take advantage of the new growth by breeding as these cecropia moths are doing. This largest of the North American moths is a generalist herbivore. Note that the antennae of the male and female are different- the male has larger ones to detect the pheromones released by the female, making it possible for him to locate her from miles away. The life cycle is strange in that the adults do not feed, but live only a short time to reproduce.
Cecropia moths mating
Catbird eggs
Birds are also breeding and it is interesting to try and locate their nests and follow their progress. I was fortunate to find this catbird nest in a viburnum bush and was impressed by its beautiful blue eggs. Some thrushes such as robins and bluebirds also have blue eggs with no apparent relation to the type of nesting site (open nest or in a cavity).
There were two "shorebirds" in our yard this week, the killdeer, which breeds here and feeds on land, and the solitary sandpiper which is migrating north to Canada and Alaska to breed. It is interesting that the killdeer, a type of plover which nests openly on the ground, has a very dark line which camouflages the eye, whereas the solitary sandpiper has a whitish ring around the eye which accentuates it. The solitary sandpiper nests in trees in old nests of other species and is obviously exposed to different types of predators. But don't such variations in the adaptations of animals test our knowledge and make nature study so more interesting?
Savannah Sparrow
The savannah sparrow is common in Florida in winter but relatively uncommon as a breeder here in VA. It thrives in grasslands throughout middle and northern North America and must have benefitted greatly by the clearing of the original forests by early settlers. Other field specialists present at this time are grasshopper sparrows, meadowlarks and bobolinks. We are experimenting with plantings and mowing schedules to improve our field habitats for these birds and especially to try and encourage bobolinks to remain and breed here.
The elevation of our farm is about 1800-2000 feet; nearby mountains extend up to 5700 feet and a different community of birds is present at the higher elevations. In a recent visit to nearby Grayson Highlands State Park we enjoyed listening to the songs and watching these birds such as rose breasted grosbeaks, least flycatchers and the highly prized cerulean and blackburnian warblers. We are hoping that this adult male cerulean and several other nearby males will remain and breed.
Spring is such a special time of year when everything seems new and fresh and life is just bursting out all over. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Bill Dunson
Galax, VA and Englewood, FL
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, is one of our lovely spring ephemerals.
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, is one of our loveliest spring ephemerals.
As an ephemeral, bloodroot has a very short blooming season. Before the trees leaf out and shade the forest floor, bloodroot must produce a flower and have it pollinated. The way the leaf remains wrapped around the flower is perhaps an adaptation that a offers some protection from the cold of early spring.
Bloodroot has clusters of bright yellow stamens to attract pollinators such as bees. Since nectar is energy intensive for the plant, bloodroot does not produce any. Pollinators get no reward for visiting the flowers, but since there are so few flowers blooming in early spring they have little choice. If the flowers aren't visited by pollinators, they can self-pollinate. Since self-pollination does not produce genetic diversity, it is a backup to ensure survival of the species.
Bloodroot encourages ants to spread its seeds. Ants are attracted to the fleshy elaiosomes, rich in a sticky oil, that cover the seeds. The ants collect the seeds and bring them back to their nest, where they consume the elaiosomes and dispose of the seeds with other debris. This provides a perfect area for the seeds to germinate.