Showy Orchis, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (04/07/2017.) Scientific name is Galearis spectabilis. Photo below was taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County, TN on April 18, 2016. Go to the Showy Orchis detail page for more information and photos.
Showy Orchis – Galearis spectabilis
A discussion on Facebook a few days ago reminded me that the Collins Gulf area of Savage Gulch State Natural Area in Grundy County, TN was on my list of areas I wanted to check out for wildflowers. Originally I had targeted it because of reports of Fringed Phacelia (Phacelia fimbriata), but when I photographed that species in the Smokies, Collins Gulf got bumped down a few places on my list. But I wanted to get into a wilderness with my grandson while he was on spring break this week, so I bumped it back up. Checking the weather, Tuesday, April 4, was forecast as the best day, and this time the weatherman was right – rain on Monday gave us good water for the waterfalls, and a beautiful, sunny day showed up Tuesday morning – as forecast. Grandson Joseph and I headed out about 9 AM for the 50-mile drive to the Collins Gulf West Trailhead of Savage Gulch, for Waterfalls and Wildflowers (31 species; see the list at the end of the post.)
One of the many Wild Geraniums blooming along Collins Gulf Trail
I had not planned on getting back down to The Pocket so soon after Sunday’s trip, but I got an email from Clayton Webster of the Over The Hill Hiking Group on Tuesday inviting me to join them on their visit to The Pocket today. I was really glad I joined them, not only because they are such a fine, fun group of folks, but without them I would have missed a Bloodroot still blooming! With that Bloodroot and all the other early spring flowers except Harbinger-of-Spring making a presence (yes, Dutchman’s Breeches STILL blooming) and so many other species at peak bloom, today might have been the perfect day for a visit to The Pocket. Thanks, Clayton!
Crested Dwarf Iris – One of the new species blooming since Sunday
Forkleaf Toothwort – Native Plant of the Day 03/27/2017
Photo from 03/22/2009. Location: Hamilton County, TN.
More photos / info at the Cardamine dissecta detail page.
Forkleaf Toothwort, Thread Leafed Toothwort – Cardamine dissecta
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
Wild Ginger, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (03/20/2017.) Scientific name is Asarum canadense. Photo below was taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Blount County, TN on April 20, 2016. Go to the Wild Ginger detail page for more information and photos.
Wild Ginger – Asarum canadense
I always get surprises when I go to The Pocket. Today was no exception, except that since things started blooming so much earlier than usual this year (Hepatica in January!), I was expecting the “early season” to continue – expecting some of the earlier species to be gone, and frankly I was expecting to see the Bent White Trillium blooming. However, with the exception of Lindera benzoin (Spicebush), ALL of the early species were still blooming. So with all those earlier ones, and a few more added this trip, I found 30 species in flower this trip. And those Bent White Trillium, while close, are not yet blooming. It seems the wildflowers at The Pocket are now closer to “normal schedule” than “really early.”
Not quite yet – Bent White Trillium – Trillium flexipes
Green Adder’s Mouth, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (03/15/2017.) Scientific name is Malaxis unifolia. Photo below was taken at the May Prairie State Natural Area in Coffee County, TN on June 1, 2016. Go to the Green Adder’s Mouth detail page for more information and photos.
Green Adder’s Mouth – Malaxis unifolia
Questions in my head about identification of the yellow Violet drove me back down to The Pocket today. I’ve decided I’m going with Viola pubescens var. scabriuscula – Smooth Yellow Violet (syn. Viola eriocarpa and Viola pensylvanica among others. ) But there were a couple of noteworthy additional species to last Friday’s list. Firstly, the first of the Wood Poppies (Celandine Poppy) have started to bloom.
Wood Poppy – Stylophorum diphyllum
Today was much cooler than it has been – more normal temps for early March – and last night temps dipped below freezing in parts of the region. Even so, I was expecting more than on 2/21, and certainly got it. 21 species blooming (although in some cases very early in their bloom season.) The big surprise: Dutchman’s Breeches, just starting to bloom (we saw three plants with flowers or developing blossoms.) This is, I believe, the earliest I’ve seen this plant bloom at The Pocket.
Dutchman’s Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria