It’s been nearly two weeks since I have been to The Pocket, and things are changing.  Several others of the “signature species” are waning – Virginia Bluebell, and Wood (Celandine) Poppy are almost gone, but all three of the Pocket’s three Trillium species are still blooming right now. Now is the time to head to The Pocket if you want to see the Trillium flexipes display – they’re at peak, but beginning to show some signs of age.

For the rest of the story…

First, the list of what is STILL blooming from 4/3 –

• Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) – I found one or two still blooming.
• Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) – Almost gone.
• Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) – A few are still blooming here and there.
• Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) – Just a few around.
• Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata) – Peak, along the Pocket Loop Trail.
  

  Crested Dwarf Iris – Iris Cristata

• Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata) – Just a few around.
• Yellow Violet (Viola philadelphica, I think) – Just a few around..
• Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) – Just a few around..
• Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) – Quite a few still blooming, but definitely on their way out.
• Purple Phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatifida) – Still plentiful, but in decline.
• Cumberland Spurge (Euphorbia mercurialina) – Still interesting, but mostly due to the oddly-developing seeds rather than the obscure flowers.
• Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) – I saw a few still blooming.
• Plantainleaf Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia)
• Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – Peak.
• Wild Blue Phox (Phlox divaricata) – Peak, probably the dominant species other than the Trilliums.
• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) – These have supplanted Redbud as the flowering tree.
• Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus) – Peak.
• Woodland Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) – Peak. Finally.
• Trillium flexipes,  T. cuneatum and T. decumbens all blooming profusely.
• Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – Probably peak.  
  

  Wild Geranium – Geranium maculatum

• Pennywort (Obolaria virginica) – That one plant near the top of the falls along the Pocket Loop Trail is still blooming.
• Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla) – Quite a number blooming along the extension trail to the falls.
• Heartleaf Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia ) – Past peak but still beautiful.
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) – I saw several; not as many as last year; probably not quite to “peak.”
• White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) – Blooming, and several plants starting to form their fruit which will be called “Doll’s Eyes.”
• Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea) – A few blooming along the Pocket Loop Trail.
• Ragwort, Roundleaf (Packera obovata) – Peak.

What has started blooming since the report of 4/3/2014:

• Wild Blue Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) – A few are blooming, most plants are still a few days away.
• Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) – There is a bush just below the falls that has started blooming.
  

  American Bladdernut – Staphylea trifolia

• Green Violet (Hybanthus concolor) – These are blooming along the Pocket Loop Trail on the way up to the top of the falls.