Five days ago I said “a couple more weeks” for the columbine.  Down by the creek they are just getting close; one plant is real close to opening up its bloom.  But up above the falls on a rock that gets sun most of the day, there was a single columbine blossom adorning that rock.  There were a few other surprises along the way.

First, the other surprises –

• Jack in the Pulpit – Cindy and I have been watching a couple of Jacks
  
  developing down along the boardwalk, but only the 3 leaflets were showing so far, including today.  However, as I walked up the horse-path looking for the squawroot which was about to bloom, suddenly I came upon a cluster of Arisaema triphyllum – Jacks, pulpits, and all.  They were nowhere to be seen 5 days earlier.
• * Mandarin – As I was returning along the boardwalk, a glance to the left revealed a yellow mandarin plant in the early stages of blossoming.

Here’s a list of the wildflower status:

• Bellwort: Many large-flowered bellwort are blooming.
• Bloodroot: I believe it to be time to call it an end of the bloodroot season in The Pocket.
• Blue cohosh:  Blooming. Let’s call it a peak.
• Blue phlox:  These are close to peak.
• Chickweed:  Blooming profusely. 
• Columbine:  A couple of plants with a blossom only a day or two away along the creek.  See intro to this article.
• Dutchman’s breeches:  Boy was I wrong when I said it would probably be blooming for a couple more weeks.  Very few blossoms left along the boardwalk.
• Foamflower:  Many nice bunches along the creek.
• Hepatica:  Blossoms are decreasing, becoming difficult to find.
• * Hyacinth:  Wild hyacinth are budding; blossoms will start showing up soon.
• Iris leaves are showing up along the slope from the horse trail down to the creek.  Didn’t find any buds.
• Miterwort (Bishop’s cap):  Several plants along the creek.
• Purple phacelia: Near peak; beautiful.
• Rue anemone:  Continue to be numerous.
• Solomon’s seal:  Many with little buds starting on them. 
• Spring Beauty:  Still many of them around.
• Toadshade / Sweet Betsy:  I believe these are different species of trillium, but very similar.  Some of both are blooming.
• Toothworts: Waning, few with blossoms remaining.
• Trailing trillium: At peak, beautiful.
• Trout lily:  I was shocked.  I did not notice a single blossom.
• Virginia bluebell: Numerous;  near peak.
• Wild geranium:  Numerous everywhere.
• Wood (celandine) poppy: Numerous, near peak.
• Violets:
  • Canada violets:  Everywhere.
  • Common blue violet:  Common in quantity, but uncommonly beautiful.
  • Downy yellow violet:  Hundreds of them.
  • Long-spurred violets: Quite numerous along the horse trail and creek.

* First identification of the plant this season.