The Woodland Flower Community

one of the most delightful plant communities the woodland flowers is not a community at all but instead provides the ground cover found in several other communities they are the oak hickory the mix floodplains and they flourish in the maple linden community one very delicate and attractive fern in this ground cover community is the american maidenhair fern or adiantum potato it is most abundant in rich shaded soils of ravines have a nice moist rocky banks of limestone outcrop the delicate leaf fronds are circular or horseshoe like giving the appearance of leaf laurel to be placed in a Maiden's hair the stems are so small and wire like that they are hardly noticeable making the leaves appear to be floating mysteriously six or more inches above the ground the wild leek or a liam try cochem is found usually in colonies on moist rich soils of woodland slopes and bottom lands its wide leaves rise out of an onion like bulb and wither before the flowers appear on a slender scape in June or July the entire plant has a strong onion taste and odor wild leek was used by Indians and early pioneers for seasoning food and as an emergency food supply American wood anemone or anemone Quinto folia is found growing in colonies on rich soils of open woodlands and Prairie environments it blooms from April to June and is the earliest in smallest woodland anemone unlike Rouen M&E and false ruin M&E the wood anemone blooms with a solitary flower and does not cluster its flowers on the stamp ruin M&E or an Emma nella select rarities is found growing in the early spring on sloping land of dry open woods it has flowers that occur in clusters of two or three that are longer lasting than other early spring woodland flowers the flowering stem grows about nine inches tall with three deeply cut leaves about halfway up the stem American Columbine or aquilegia canadensis is found growing in a wide variety of conditions from dry soil on cliffs to shady moist soil of The Woodlands it blooms May to July and has a drooping red and yellow bell like flower the flower has distinct backward tubes or Spurs which restrict pollinators to hummingbirds and long-tongued insects such as moths and butterflies its leaves are usually divided into three leaflets each with three lobes it's time now for a review first was American maidenhair fern or adiantum potato with circular fronds while leak or Allium trike ocean with a strong onion odor American wood anemone or an M&E Quinn COO folia with a solitary flower grew anemone or an Emma nella phallic Troy teased with flower clusters an American Columbine or aquilegia canadensis with a red and yellow bell flower Indian jack in the pulpit or aricema tribe phylum is an unusual plant the flower is in two parts the club-like spadix called the preacher or jack is covered by Manute yellow flowers the leaf like spaeth is streaked in tones of purple brown and green and wraps around the lower part of the spadix and then curves above to form the hood or pulpit when the space withers in the autumn it discloses a group of brilliant red berries the raw bulb when eaten produces severe stinging sensation described as a mouthful of red-hot needles Canada wild ginger or a serum can identify in cool shady woodlands where the soil is moist in the spring it flowers in April and May with a reddish brown flower that occurs in the notch of two leaf petioles so close to the ground it is sometimes buried Canada wild ginger is an excellent ground cover with heart-shaped leaves remaining through the summer the roots of this plant were used by the early pioneers as a substitute for Jamaica ginger which was hard to acquire Virginia's spring beauty are claytonia virginica is found blooming March to May on rich soils of moist open woodlands it is spectacular when in bloom in large patches Virginia spring Beauty has many small pink flowers clustered on each stem with leaves that are narrow and grass like the plant disappears in late June as the tubers lay dormant until the following spring cut leaf to thwart or dent area licinia is often found blooming March to May in large patches on rich soils of moist shady woodlands its name seemingly describes both leaf and flower for the leaves are deeply cut into five segments and the four flower petals curved outward as the roots of a large molar however the name tooth warp probably came from the tooth like shape of a fleshy tubers Dutchman's breeches or die eccentric ooh cool area is found on rich soils of moist woodlands blooming April and May the flower is well described by its common name the breeches hang upside down attached at the crotch by a delicate stem to the underside of the arching flower stalk the leaves are almost fern like in shape giving Dutchman's breeches a distinctive appearance it's time again for a review first was Indian jack in the pulpit or aricema tri phylum with its unusual flower Canada wild ginger or a serum canadensis with a reddish-brown flower Virginia spring beauty or claytonia virginica with small pink flowers that leave to thwart or dent Ariela Siniora with a tooth like flower Dutchman's breeches or died Sentra chuckle area with flowers like small breeches hanging to drive quite fond Lily or air thrown 'i'm al bidam has many names - the most common include white trout lily and dogtooth violet it is found growing in colonies in rich moist soils of woodland slopes and bottom lands some of these colonies are hundreds of years old the leaves have a modeled appearance resembling a trout or a fawn the flower is a nodding star on a single leafless stalk that arises from between the parodies the flower and leaves occur between April and June then wither and disappear until the following year catch weed bed straw or gallium a preen is an annual plant that grows usually in shady woods on damp ground it blooms subtly in May and June with small white flowers the stems are weak on the plan causing it to be prostrate or reclining on other plants for support the bed straw has a novel form of propagation it is readily transported the stems which are squarish and rough textured break easily and attach to clothing or animal fur later when they are discarded the plant will root if conditions are right spot a geranium or geranium maculatum blooms from May to June in rich moist soils of open woodlands and ditches it is recognized by its palmately lobed leaves and distinctive capsules it is often referred to as cranesbill because of those narrow beaked seed pods the flower is saucer shaped with five rounded petals rose lavender with delicate veining although the flower may seem quite different the household geranium is a close relative to this plant sharp lobe hepatica or hepatica acute loba is one of the most beautiful of the early spring woodland flowers it blooms in flour clumps that resemble corsages each clump has a different flower color ranging from lavender blue pink to white the leaves emerge after the flower and may still be found the following spring flattened to the ground and changed to a red brown color the leaves are liver shaped and it was once thought that if a plant somewhat resembled an organ of the human body it was somehow useful in the treating of the disorders of that organ but the hepatic has proved to be of no medicinal value Virginia water leaf or Hydra phylum Virginie adam is a common ground cover of the shady woods growing often in extensive colonies on rich moist soils it blooms May to July and tide flower clusters held erect above the leaves the flowers each have 5 stamens that protrude beyond the bell giving the flower head a hairy appearance the leaves are broadly triangular in shape and are divided into five or more segments and the name comes from the peculiar light green markings on the leaves suggesting water marks on paper it's time for another review white fawn lily or air throny amalgam with nodding star like flowers catch weed bedstraw or gay lame a Perrine with rough or sticky foliage spotted geranium or geranium maculatum with a saucer-shaped flower sharp loca Pataca or hepatica acutal oba with its flower corsages virginia water leaf or hydra phylum virginia annum with leaves that appear to have water marks atlantic isip Iram or isoparm bitter naina more sometimes false ruin M&E as a name implies is not an anemone at all but appears to be copying another flower the flowers of atlantic eyes of harem are difficult to distinguish from those of the rue anemone both have loose clusters of several white flowers with white petal like simples but its leaves are divided into three segments and then into three leaflets each leaflet is deeply cut much more so than the leaves of Rouen M&E Virginia Bluebell or Mackenzie of virginica is found on rich moist bottomland soils blooming March to May it is an attractive flower that is most spectacular when seen growing in large colonies the plant stands erect on fragile stems supporting smooth grey green foliage the blossoms appear first as pink buds that open into light blue trumpet shaped flowers Virginia Bluebell is still used in flower gardens but has a short season as they disappear by mid-summer the interrupted fern or Osman de clay Tony Anna is a rugged and persistent plant in almost any kind of soil or location it is one of the earliest ferns to appear in the spring and seems to prefer a dry stony site the leaves are Chand growth with distinctive interruptions in the center of the leaf stem that bear the Fertile leaflets all the leaves wither early after frost blue phlox wild sweet William or phlox devera kada is a common woodland flower of rich moist soils of woodland slopes and stream borders the flower is a delicate blue held in loose clusters on sticky stamps it is well known for its color beauty and fragrance but it is most popular with children because of its timeliness for the May baskets blooming from April to June common May apple or pota phylum pell Tatum is found usually in colonies on moist soils of open woodlands and floodplain terraces most stalks of the plant support a single umbrella like leaf but where a branch occurs in - leaves are produced you can expect to find a flower this white flower blooms in May on a short stem at the junction of the two leaves and later produces a green apple like fruit common Paula podium wall fern or Paula podium vulgar grows where rocks and cliffs provide surfaces of rich often very shallow subacid soil it grows with mosses luxuriant and cool damp moist shade along water courses like most ferns the wall fern does not produce the typical flower and seed for reproduction but instead develops spores on the underside of the leaves that are transported from one plant to another by the wind the row referred to the fern as fresh and cheerful communities of the polyp OD in early spring but they are year-round communities and are cheerful and many seasons it's time for a review atlanticus of pyram false true anemone or isoparm with the flower clusters that are similar to the Rouen M&E Virginia Bluebell armored 10c of virginica with blue trumpet-shaped flowers the interrupted fern or Osman de clay Tony anda with the Fertile leaflets blue flocks wild sweet William or flocks devera kada with delicate blue flowers common may Apple or pota phylum potato with umbrella like leaves common Paulo podium Walford or Paulo podium vulgar that is found on rocky cliffs blood route or sanguine area canadensis is found in rich moist but well-drained soils it grows six to fourteen inches high with a horizontal rootstock the thick root uses a bright red juice when cut or broken as the flower emerges in April or May it has a single leaf loosely rolled around the flower stalk the daisy-like flower is born on its own stock which is taller than the Lee's after flowering the leaves unroll flatten out and soon grow enough to cover the seed capsule produced by the flower feather solomon plume or smile asinus gelada is found in rich moist woods and blooms May to July it is a common woodland perennial that is often referred to as false Solomon seal because of stiffly arching stem and leaves resemble those of the true Solomon seal it has many small white flowers and terminal cluster that mature in July to August into numerous brown speckled berries that later turn of right red in the fall the fruits are edible and were referred to as scurvy berries and were probably eaten as a treatment or preventative a meadow rue or phthalic trim die oakum is a graceful plan of moist woodlands with Lee's divided into many round lobes segments similar to those of Columbine the flowers are without pedals or sepals but display a yellow color from the stamens which hang like small tassels the female tassel blossoms are on separate plants and colored purple this accounts for the Latin species named IOM which is from the Greek and means to households dwarf Trillium our Trillium Novelli is found in rich moist woodlands where soils are deep it is sometimes called snow Trillium because of its early blooming habit that occasionally finds it blooming you at time of snowfall the name Trillium comes from the Latin word for three the flower parts are all grouped in multiples of three the white petals the green sepals and the leaves it also has six stamens and a three chambered ovary and usually three or six angles to the berry that develops from it big Mary Bell Bell wort or you valaria grandiflora is common to rich soils on very shady upland slopes the leaves have no petals and tend to loop around the stem scarcely unfolding at flowering this gives a plant a twisted droopy appearance the flower blooms early from April to June and can be easily recognized because it is always yellow drooping and twisted the leaves and stems were used by early pioneers for greens there are many violets or viola species throughout the Midwest that frequent a wide variety of habitats from wet to dry and woodlands to Prairie violets typically bloom from April to June growing low to the ground usually no taller than 3 to 5 inches most have a clump of leaves which may vary in shape but are generally heart like the blooms may be blue purple white or yellow and here identification becomes highly technical for they frequently hybridize they are probably the most common wildflower The Woodlands and one of the most loved it's time for our last review bloodroot or sanguine area canadensis with the daisy-like flowers feather Solomon plume or smile asinus stellata with its small cluster of white flowers early meadow roof ourthe electrum die oakum with round lobed leaves dwarf Trillium or Trillium Novelli with flower and leaves in three parts big Mary Belle Belle wort or you valaria grandiflora with yellow drooping twisted flowers and violets or viola species with many hybridized varieties the reason one remembers the spring woodland flowers with such affection is because we have to remember them they are with us for such a short period of time some have called them flowers the cat wait for spring and appropriately so most of them start early before the dense leaf canopy can blot out the Sun they managed to emerge blooms seed and wither in only a few short weeks but the memory of them stays with that woodland throughout the year