Yellow Trillium – Native Plant of the Day 02/25/2024
Photo from 3/21/2012. Location: Reflection Riding, Hamilton County, TN.
More photos / info at the Trillium luteum detail page.
Yellow Trillium – Trillium luteum
Trailing Trillium – Native Plant of the Day 02/24/2024
Photo from 03/18/2009 Location: The Pocket, Walker County, GA.
More photos / info at the Trillium decumbens detail page.
Trailing Trillium – Trillium decumbens
Catesby’s Trillium – Native Plant of the Day 04/20/2024
Photo from 4/19/2011. Location: Rocky Lane area, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA.
More photos / info at the Trillium catesbaei detail page.
Catesby’s Trillium, Bashful Wakerobin, Rose Trillium – Trillium catesbaei
Finally a day with no rain, so Cindy and I took another drive to The Pocket, where (other than passing on the boardwalk) we could continue to “social distance.” On the boardwalk we, along with most of the others who were there, would pass back-to-back.
While a few species from last week were missing – Trout Lily, Dutchman’s Breeches, and Hepatica were gone – there were a number added this week – White Baneberry (Doll’s Eyes), Woodland Stonecrop, and (most exciting one for me) Lanceleaf Trillium were the standouts of the new species, even thought the Bent White Trillium probably dominated the bloom.
Bent White Trillium – Trillium flexipes
Ozark Green Trillium, a native plant, has been added to the USWildflowers’ database (11/03/2019.) Scientific name is Trillium viridescens. Photo below was along the Sugar Camp Scenic Byway, Mark Twain National Forest, Barry County, MO on Apr 21, 2019. Go to the Ozark Green Trillium detail page for more information and photos.
Ozark Green Trillium – Trillium viridescens
Clayton Webster, leader of the Over the Hill Hiking Group (OHHG), contacted me a couple of days ago with an invitation to join their group on their visit to The Pocket, so even though it had only been a few days, I went on down there to meet up with this great group. We covered The Pocket very thoroughly, visited the Martin Davis house, and took a drive over to visit the Blue Hole area of Pigeon Mountain. The day was a success, not only because of the great group, but also I managed to find several species that I missed on Saturday.
The Over the Hill Hiking Group “Better Half”
Partly sunny and warm (70+ degrees) – a great time to check on the bloom status at The Pocket. I was expecting the Bent White Trillium and the Crested Dwarf Iris to be blooming, and they did not disappoint. I was also expecting the Little Sweet Betsy to be blooming, and as I walked north of the parking lot and around the boardwalk, I thought I would be shut out on that account, but along the Pocket Creek Trail heading toward the camping area they were in full swing, so no surprises on the Trillium front. However, there was a surprise – alongside one of those blooming Little Sweet Betsy there was a Southern Stoneseed. I had not seen that plant on this side of the mountain. Overall I identified 41 species this visit, not counting some of the invasives around the parking lot such as Purple Deadnettle and Common Chickweed.
Southern Stoneseed – Lithospermum tuberosum
Another 10 days during the ‘peak development period’ of wildflowers at The Pocket had passed since I’d last been there, and I won’t be able to get down to The Pocket for another week due to other commitments, so in spite of the cloudy weather, I took advantage of an almost free afternoon to get an update. It was a beautiful (if chilly) day today, so I headed down there for a more leisurely visit. A couple of surprises along with what was expected (including the Bent White Trillium) – I counted 38 species blooming.
Bent White Trillium – Trillium flexipes at The Pocket
We weren’t planning on going to The Pocket today. It was beautiful, and I’d heard some rumors that piqued an interest in another site – didn’t pan out, but on our way home we passed within a couple of miles of The Pocket, so at the last minute we decided to check it out. We’d seen on Facebook that Dutchmen’s Breeches were blooming in the Smokies, so I wanted to check to see if they were blooming at the pocket – see below; they were!
Dutchman’s Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria
Cindy and I headed down to The Pocket today not only because I needed to get an update published, but because it was an absolutely beautiful day. And the flowers did not disappoint.
Bent White Trillium – Trillium Flexipes are magnificent and aromatic right now. Hurry for the show!