The Pocket Wildflower Status Update 03/17/2019 – 31 Species Blooming

It had been 10 days during the ‘peak development period’ of wildflowers at The Pocket since I’d last been there. It was a beautiful day today, and in spite of the fact that the boardwalk past the loop and the trail to the falls were closed, I counted 31 species blooming. I suspect that had I been able to access those areas, I would also have seen Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla), Heartleaf Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), and White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda).

Bloodroot, Red Indian Paint, Red Puccoon - Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot – Sanguinaria canadensis

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.):

  • Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) – I saw one stalk blooming at the back of the loop, quite a distance from the boardwalk, so no photos. There is foliage nearer the boardwalk, but I didn’t see any buds developing. Unfortunately the large, close colony is inaccessible due to the closure.
  • Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – A few blooming.
  • Plantain-leaf Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) – Quite a number early in their bloom.
  • Cumberland Spurge (Euphorbia mercurialina) – Many.
  • Trailing Trillium (Trillium decumbens) – Just beginning; quite a few open.
  • Redbud (Cercis canadensis) – Just starting
  • Purple Phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatifida) – One plant with flowers open above the falls.
  • Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) – Several plants are blooming now.
  • Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus) – One fully blooming and several close along the horse trail (Pocket Loop Trail.)

  • Wild Blue Phlox  (Phlox divaricata) –  Plentiful along the Pocket Loop Trail; I didn’t see any around the boardwalk loop.
  • Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – I’m playing it loose with “in bloom” – one plant had a flower almost fully open. Several plants with buds.
  • Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea) – I saw one plant blooming along the horse trail.
  • Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata) – One plant with the ray florets unfolding.
  • Wood Vetch (Vicia caroliniana) – One just past the gate onto the Pocket Loop Trail.
  • Pennywort (Obolaria virginica) – One blooming along the Pocket Loop Trail (horse trail)

 

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