Sticky Purple Geranium – Native Plant of the Day 06/15/2024
Photo from 06/15/2010. Location: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID.
More photos / info at the Geranium viscosissimum detail page.
Sticky Purple Geranium – Geranium viscosissimum
I know two weeks ago I said this would likely be the first year in 10 that I haven’t reported on the wildflowers blooming at The Pocket due to travel plans, other activities, and weather. Well, the Coronavirus cancelled some travel plans and other activities, and we had a brief respite from the rain today, so Cindy and I took a spin down to The Pocket.
Virginia Bluebells – Mertensia virginica
Carolina Geranium – Native Plant of the Day 01/08/2018
Photo from 4/23/2012. Location: Walker County, Ga.
More photos / info at the Geranium carolinianum detail page.
Carolina Geranium, Carolina Cranesbill – Geranium carolinianum
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
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
The warm weather has continued, along with a fair bit of rain. It’s been 10 days since my last trip to The Pocket (3/2), and I was expecting some significant changes in what was blooming. Some news – the Harbinger-of-Spring is almost gone. However, that’s not the only news… Wait for it…
Wood Poppy – Stylophorum diphyllum
Not just the Wood Poppy…
Saturday, March 14, 2014 was a beautiful day with perfect morning temperatures for hiking, and fortunately my grandson Philip had asked me to take him for a hike, so around 9 AM we headed out from Camp Vesper Point for a visit to the nearby North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area. This was my grandson’s first visit to the North Chick, and I hadn’t been there in many years, so while I was hoping for wildflowers, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Sweet Betsy – Trillium cuneatum – were plentiful, but just beginning to bloom.
Carolina Geranium, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (04/23/2012.) Scientific name is Geranium carolinianum. Photo below was taken in Walker County, GA, on May 23, 2012. It is also known by the common name Carolina Cranesbill. Go to the Carolina Geranium detail page for more information.
Carolina Geranium, Carolina Cranesbill – Geranium carolinianum
Cutleaf Geranium, an introduced species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (04/17/2012.) Scientific name is Geranium dissectum. Photo below was taken in Walker County, Ga, on April 16, 2012. It is also known by the common name Cut-leaved Cranesbill . Go to the Cutleaf Geranium detail page for more photos and information.
Cutleaf Geranium, Cut-leaved Cranesbill - Geranium dissectum
Purple Phacelia, Fernleaf Phacelia – Phacelia bipinnatifida
I wasn’t planning on going down to The Pocket this weekend, but my wife had other plans for Sunday, so she suggested that I do something to take advantage of the beautiful day, so I headed down there shortly after getting home from church. In addition to walking the boardwalk and the trail up to the falls, I did a little back country walking above the bluff north of the horse trail. Wildflowers are abundant; here is my report, and a couple of photos taken off the beaten path in The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain.
The Phacelia are blooming. There is a Phacelia in the field to the right as you walk down to the boardwalk; they are blooming along the boardwalk and all the way up to the falls. The photo above was taken up on the top of the north bluff.