The Pocket is in full swing with most of its signature species in bloom, although with the exception of a single plant, we saw no Bloodroot blooming today. We lost a species or two, but what has started blooming since my last trip (3/17) more than made up for it, starting with the Bent White Trillium (Trillium flexipes.)  Probably the big surprise for me was that we still had many Dutchman’s Breeches still blooming – since early March! I don’t remember a previous 3-week+ bloom season for this plant at The Pocket.

Bent White Trillium –Trillium flexipes

Here is the full list of what I found blooming, more or less in the date order I expect to find them blooming. (Click on the hyper-linked scientific name to go to the page with more photos/information on that species.):

• Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa) – I feel guilty listing this; a single plant blooming.
• Hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) – A few around, but you need to look for them.
• Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) – Almost gone.
• Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) – As mentioned above, we found 1 single plant blooming.
• Carolina Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) – Still quite plentiful.
• Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) – Lots and lots of them.
• Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) – Most plants are finished blooming.
• Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) – These seem past peak, but still plentiful.
• Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) I think these are probably at peak now.
• Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata) – Plentiful along the “horse trail”.
• Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) – Plentiful.
• Smooth Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens) – Plentiful.
• Common Blue Violet – Plentiful
• Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) – I called peak on 3/17; I was wrong. Let’s call it now…
• Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) – Several plants STILL blooming; more than on 3/17. I suspect the cold spell we had delayed those that hadn’t started blooming early, effectively giving us two seasons.
• Heartleaf Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) – Plentiful; most fully open, but a couple of plants just starting to open.
• Wood Poppy, aka Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) – Beautiful show.

Wood Poppy, aka Celandine Poppy – Stylophorum diphyllum

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – Quite a few, and looking good.
• Cumberland Spurge (Euphorbia mercurialina) – Plentiful
• Plantain-leaf Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) – Plentiful.
• Trailing Trillium (Trillium decumbens) – Plentiful.
• Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla) – Still blooming.
• Sweet Betsy (Trillium cuneatum) – More still to come, but quite a number blooming, including one with the less common greenish-yellow rather than maroon petals. Lovely apple aroma of the flower; I am now suffering the hay-fever symptoms I get when I can control my urge to sniff a Trillium.

Sweet Betsy – Trillium cuneatum

• Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) – Many plants blooming.
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis) – Both the planted trees along the road and the nearby wild ones are blooming.
• Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus) – Full bloom. Hurry to see them.
• Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea) – Saw many of these.
• Wild Blue Phlox  (Phlox divaricata) – Plentiful.

Columbine – Aquilegia canadensis

• Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – I’ve got to admit to a bit of a disappointment here. The one plant I had found almost fully blooming on 3/17 had been crushed under a fallen tree (presumably from the storm that knocked out power to our house for 5 hours this past week), and most of the other plants had buds forming nicely. However, there were two or three plants blooming on the bluff over which the falls flow, and one of those plants had white blossoms! I had to use a 300mm lens to get the above photo.

Added to bloom list since 03/17:

• Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) – Along the road into the parking lot after the ford.
• Bent White Trillium (Trillium flexipes) – Many flowering plants, but early in the season.
• False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) – Several plants along the boardwalk.
• Round-leaved Ragwort – I think! (Packera obovata) Starting to bloom.
• Purple Phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatifida) – Quite a few blooming, but early in their season.

Purple Phacelia – Phacelia bipinnatifida