This has been a VERY wet late winter, and cold the last several days. Today (Thursday, 03/07/2019) had a confluence of sunshine, warm temps (low 50’s), and the threat of more rain starting tomorrow, so I made a run down to The Pocket. Unfortunately a significant part of the Shirley Miller Trail, including the boardwalk extension and the trail from the end of the boardwalk to the falls, is closed. Many of the spring wildflowers (Dutchmen’s Breeches, Doll’s Eyes, Bishop’s Cap come to mind immediately) are found along that section, so I won’t know when they are blooming. That being said, I counted 14 species blooming in the area north of the parking lot, the boardwalk loop, and along the Pocket Loop Trail (the “horse trail” that leads to the camping area above the falls, not to be confused with the boardwalk loop on the Shirley Miller Trail.) I’m not sure if this latter area (Pocket Loop Trail) is officially closed or not. If not, I half expect it to happen, since the trail crosses the part area of the hillside which is slipping, causing trees to fall onto the boardwalk below.
The Shirley Miller Trail boardwalk extension is closed “indefinitely”
Here is the full list of what I found blooming (Click on the hyper-linked scientific name to go to the page with more photos/information on that species.):
- Hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) – Still plentiful.
- Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) – Still plentiful; as abundant or more so than the Hepatica.
- Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) Several around, especially north of the parking lot and along the Pocket Loop Trail.
Rue Anemone
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) – Many, perhaps at or near peak.
- Carolina Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) – With the colder weather, many of these are staying closed.
- Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) – I found one single plant blooming near the boardwalk.
Trout Lily
- Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa) – Just a few remain
- Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) – A few.
- Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) – Along the driveway approaching the parking area from the creek crossing.
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) – Just starting to bloom.
- Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) – Many plants showing a few open blossoms; much more to come.
- Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata) – Plentiful, especially up along the “horse trail.”
Long-spurred Violet
- Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – Just a few are open now.
- Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) – I saw a single plant blooming along the Pocket Loop Trail.