It was a beautiful day today, and I got to make a brief trip to The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain (with author Jay Clark, but more on that later!) This is just a quick update on what’s blooming now. The dominant species is probably the Bent White Trillium – Trillium flexipes. But read on for more.
White Trillium, Nodding Wakerobin, Nodding Trillium – Trillium flexipes
Here is a list of what I recall blooming today. They aren’t in any particular order; just as I remembered them.
- Virginia Bluebells – Mertensia virginica
- Wood Poppies – Stylophorum diphyllum
- Carolina Spring Beauties, but in much decline – Claytonia caroliniana
- Canada Violet in full swing – Viola canadensis
- Yellow violet – Viola pennsylvanica
- Long-spurred violets still blooming – Viola rostrata
- Common Blue Violet – Viola sororia
- Robin’s Plantain – Erigeron pulchellus
- Wood Betony (Lousewort) – the best display I’ve seen in a few years – Pedicularis canadensis
- Toadshade Trillium (T. cuneatum)
- While Trillium (T. flexipes) are dominant
- Trailing Trillium – Trillium decumbens
- Blue Cohosh still blooming – Caulophyllum thalictroides
- Wild Geranium – Geranium maculatum
- Purple Phacelia – Phacelia bipinnatifida
- Cutleaf Toothwort – a few are left blooming – Cardamine concatenata
- Rue Anemone – a few are left blooming – Thalictrum thalictoides
- Star Chickweed – Stellaria pubera
- Foamflower – Tiarella cordifolia
- Bishop’s Cap at peak – Mitella diphylla
- Redbud are in decline – Cercis canadensis
- Large-flowered Bellwort – Uvularia grandiflora
- Yellow Mandarin are at peak, and beautiful! – Disporum lanuginosum
- Jack in the Pulpit – Arisaema triphyllum
- White Baneberry at peak or just before – Actaea pachypoda
- Flowering Dogwood – Cornus florida
- Wild Blue Phlox – Phlox divaricata
I didn’t make it all the way up to the falls, but I imagine the Columbine is still blooming up there. Stonecrop may also be blooming.